Structural Modeling and Analysis of a Wave Energy Converter Applying Dynamical Substructuring Method

This paper deals with structural modeling and analysis of a wave energy converter. The device, called Wavestar, is a bottom fixed structure, located in a shallow water environment at the Danish Northwest coast. The analysis is concentrated on a single float and its structural arm which connects the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Volume 8: Ocean Renewable Energy
Main Authors: Zurkinden, Andrew Stephen, Damkilde, Lars, Gao, Zhen, Moan, Torgeir
Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/4932b4b7-5807-46a2-bb64-34611aac25dd
https://doi.org/10.1115/OMAE2013-10854
Description
Summary:This paper deals with structural modeling and analysis of a wave energy converter. The device, called Wavestar, is a bottom fixed structure, located in a shallow water environment at the Danish Northwest coast. The analysis is concentrated on a single float and its structural arm which connects the WEC to a jackup structure. The wave energy converter is characterized by having an operational and survival mode. The survival mode drastically reduces the exposure to waves and therfore to the wave loads. Structural response analysis of the Wavestar arm is carried out in this study. Due to the relative stiff behavior of the arm the calculation can be reduced to a quasi-static analysis. The hydrodynamic and the structural analyses are thus performed separately. In order to reduce the computational time of the finite element calculation the main structure is modeled as a superelement. The structural detail, where the stress analysis is carried out, is connected with the superstructure by interface nodes. The analysis is conducted for two different control situations. Numerical results will be presented which can be further used to carry out fatigue analysis in which a more refined FE model is required to obtain the stress concentration factors. This paper deals with structural modeling and analysis of a wave energy converter. The device, called Wavestar, is a bottom fixed structure, located in a shallow water environment at the Danish Northwest coast. The analysis is concentrated on a single float and its structural arm which connects the WEC to a jackup structure. The wave energy converter is characterized by having an operational and survival mode. The survival mode drastically reduces the exposure to waves and therfore to the wave loads. Structural response analysis of the Wavestar arm is carried out in this study. Due to the relative stiff behavior of the arm the calculation can be reduced to a quasi-static analysis. The hydrodynamic and the structural analyses are thus performed separately. In order to reduce ...