Coupled hydro-aero-turbo dynamics of liquid-tank system for wave energy harvesting: Numerical modellings and scaled prototype tests

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel integrated numerical model and experimental validation for coupled hydro-aero-turbo dynamics in wave-energy-harvesting liquid tanks, demonstrating improved efficiency and reliability through innovative turbine systems and design optimizations.

Contribution

The study presents the first integrated numerical model for coupled hydro-aero-turbo dynamics in WEH tanks and introduces multi-layered impulse air turbines, enhancing power output and system reliability.

Findings

Numerical model accurately predicts rotor speed, liquid motion, and air pressure.

Optimal damping coefficients maximize power output.

Increasing tank breadth significantly boosts power output.

Abstract

An integrated numerical model is proposed for the first time to explore the coupled hydro-aero-turbo dynamics of wave-energy-harvesting (WEH) liquid tanks. A scaled prototype of the WEH liquid tank with an impulse air turbine system is made to experimentally validate the numerical model.Multi-layered impulse air turbine systems (MLATS) are creatively introduced into the liquid-tank system. The inherent mechanisms of the coupled hydro-aero-turbo dynamics of the WEH liquid tank with different turbine properties are systematically investigated.Compared with the experimental data, the numerical model can accurately reproduce the rotor speed, liquid motion, and air pressure of the WEH liquid tank. Upon analysing mechanical parameters of the turbine rotor, it is found that the rotor's moment of inertia mainly affects the rotor speed's variation range, while the damping coefficient significantly influences the averaged rotor speed. The optimal power take-off damping for the WEH liquid tank is identified. Considering the efficiency performances of three MLATSs, improving Turbine-L1 to Turbine-L2 or Turbine-L3 can increase the averaged power output by about 25% or 40%, respectively.Increasing the tank breadth can effectively boost the power output in a nonlinear way.Under the considered excitation conditions, if the tank breadth is doubled, the maximum averaged power output can be increased by around four times. Through a series of failure tests, Turbine-L3 shows greater reliability in extreme conditions compared to a conventional single-rotor turbine. Even if the most important rotor of Turbine-L3 fails to work, the maximum loss of the averaged power output is only 44%. The present WEH liquid with Turbine - L3 shows improved efficiency and reliability compared to the conventional liquid-tank system with a single-rotor turbine.