The Inter Facility Testing of a Standard Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Type Wave Energy Converter (WEC)

This report describes the behavior and preliminary performance of a simplified standard oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter (WEC). The same tests will be conducted at different scales at 6 different test facilities and the results obtained will be used for comparison. This project will be refereed to as The Round Robin Programme. The rationale for the work is based on the MaRINET proposal:

A key aspect of the standardisation of device testing is that results from independent trials will be compatible between different test centres. Even when similar procedures are followed this may not be guaranteed. A specially selected test programme will, therefore, be implemented at certain MaRINET facilities to investigate this matter. Due to budget restrictions only laboratory scale centres can be considered but the open water operators will be consulted continuously during the formalisation of the programme to ensure scale similitude of the plan as well as the procedures. The expectation would then be that when the successful devices reach prototype size trials the previous stage results will be compatible.

The experiments have been conducted in the Hydraulics and Coastal Engineering Laboratory at Aalborg University, Sohngaardsholmsvej 57, DK-9000 Aalborg. For further information regarding the content of this report please contact Morten Thøtt Andersen (mta@civil.aau.dk) or Jonas Bjerg Thomsen (jbt@civil.aau.dk) from the Department of Civil Engineering.