Dynamic Analysis and Configuration Design of a Two-Component Wave-Energy Absorber Available to Purchase

The wave-energy absorber being developed at UC Berkeley is modeled as a moored compound cylinder, with an outer cylinder sliding along a tension-tethered inner cylinder. With rigid-body dynamics, it is first shown that the surge and pitch degrees of freedom are decoupled from the heave motion. The heaving motion of the outer cylinder is analyzed and its geometric proportions (radii and drafts ratios) are optimized for wave-energy extraction. Earlier works of Yeung [1] and Chau and Yeung [2,3] are used in the present heave-motion study. The coupled surge-pitch motion can be solved and can provide the contact forces between the cylinders. The concept of capture width is used to characterize the energy extraction: its maximization leads to optimal energy extraction. The methodology presented provides the optimal geometry in terms of non-dimensional proportions of the device. It is found that a smaller radius and deeper draft for the outer cylinder will lead to a larger capture width and larger resulting motion.