Sensitivity Analysis of WEC Array Layout Parameters Effect on the Power Performance

This study assesses the effect that the array layout choice has on the power performance. To this end, a sensitivity analysis is carried out with six array layout parameters, as the simulation inputs, the array power performance (q-factor), as the simulation output, and a simulation model specially built to deal with WEC arrays. This is based on the equation of motion in frequency domain and complemented with the hydrodynamic model recently presented by McNatt et al. [5] to compute diffraction and radiation forces for multiple interacting WECs. The tool used to conduct the simulations has been developed in cooperation with the DTOcean research project, which aims to provide design tools for the deployment of the first generation of ocean energy converter arrays. The sensitivity analysis is performed for the particular case of an array of floating cylinders moving in the usual six rigid body degrees of freedom. The results show that extreme values of array performance can be well predicted by use of a simplified two-WEC array model.