Simulation based design optimization and performance assessment for an attenuator type wave energy converter

从剪切资源量级的角度来看，波浪能是一种非常有前途的低温室气体能源，可以在加拿大并网和偏远沿海社区不断发展的能源结构中发挥作用。波浪能转换器（WECs）必须将原始波浪能转化为有用的电能，面临着功率密度的关键挑战；即每公斤设备质量可产生多少千瓦的功率。由于WEC成本在很大程度上与质量成正比，因此提高这种功率密度可以极大地影响WEC的经济性。**拟议的项目旨在帮助Blu-tility开发一种名为**Blu-Dino系统的新型衰减器型WEC，以提高其系统的模拟保真度并优化加拿大西海岸波浪条件的关键系统参数**。Blu-Dino WEC概念采用了螺旋衰减器设计，**并大大提高了功率密度的承诺。UVic**开发的新型CFD方法将用于分析该装置的流体动力学，以再次比较可能遗漏一些重要粘性流体动力学效应的简化流体动力学模型。先前为其他WEC类型和浮式海上风力涡轮机结构开发的启发式优化框架**将用于改进系统设计。该项目的输出将更好地洞察Blu-Dino系统的设计参数，**和一个工具集的原型继续发展。

Wave energy from a shear resource magnitude perspective is a very promising low-GHG energy source that**can potentially play a role in Canada's evolving energy mix for both grid-connected and remote coastal**communities. Wave energy converters (WECs) which must transform raw wave energy into useful electrical**power face the key challenge of power density; that is how many kW of power can be generated per kg of**device mass. As WEC cost is to a large degree proportional to mass, improving this power density can greatly**impact the economics of WECs.**The proposed project is aimed at helping the developers, Blu-tility, of a novel attenuator type WEC named the**Blu-Dino System, to improve the simulation fidelity of their system and optimize the key system parameters**for wave conditions on Canada's West Coast. The Blu-Dino WEC concept utilizes a helical attenuator design,**and which holds up the promise of greatly improved power density. Novel CFD methods developed at UVic**will be employed to analyse the hydrodynamics of the device, to compare again simplified hydrodynamic**models that may miss some important viscous hydrodynamic effects. A heuristic optimization framework,**developed previously for other WEC types and floating offshore wind turbine structures, will be used to refine**the system design. The output of the project will be better insight into the Blu-Dino system design parameters,**and a toolset for continued development of a prototype.