Capturing the experimental behaviour of a point-absorber WEC by simplified numerical models

The paper presents a wave basin experiment of a direct-driven point-absorber wave energy converter moving in six degrees of freedom. The goal of the work is to study the dynamics and energy absorption of the wave energy converter, and to verify under which conditions numerical models restricted to heave can capture the behaviour of a point-absorber moving in six degrees of freedom. Several regular and irregular long-crested waves and different damping values of the power take-off system have been tested. We collected data in terms of power output, device motion in six degrees of freedom and wave elevation at different points of the wave basin. A single-body numerical model in the frequency domain and a two-body model in the time domain are used in the study. Motion instabilities due to parametric resonance observed during the experiments are discussed and analysis of the buoy motion in terms of the Mathieu instability is also presented. Our results show that the simplified models can reproduce the body dynamics of the studied converter as long as the transverse non-linear instabilities are not excited, which typically is the case in irregular waves. The performance of the more complex time domain model is able to reproduce both the buoy and PTO dynamics, while the simpler frequency domain model can only reproduce the PTO dynamics for specific cases. Finally, we show that the two-body dynamics of the studied wave energy converter affects the power absorption significantly, and that common assumptions in the numerical models, such as stiff mooring line or that the float moves only in heave, may lead to incorrect predictions for certain sea states.     

Evolution of wide-spectrum unidirectional wave groups in a tank: an experimental and numerical study

Evolution of unidirectional nonlinear wave groups with wide spectra is studied experimentally and numerically. As an example of such an evolution, focusing of an initially wide wave train that is modulated both in amplitude and in frequency, to a single steep wave at a prescribed location along the laboratory wave tank is investigated. When numerous frequency harmonics arrive at the focusing location in phase, a very wave steep single emerges. The experimental study was carried out in two wave flumes that differ in size by an order of magnitude: a 330 m long Large Wave Channel in Hanover, and in 18 m long Tel-Aviv University wave tank. The spatial version of the Zakharov equation was applied in the numerical simulations. Detailed quantitative comparison is carried out between the experimental results and the numerical simulations. Spectra of the 2nd order bound waves are calculated using the theoretical model adopted. It is demonstrated that with the contribution of bound waves accounted for, a very good agreement between experiments and simulations is achieved.     

海堤越浪的数值模拟

基于RANS方程和两方程湍流模型,采用有限体积法,将人射波波场作为人工的分布源项加人动量方程,提出了适用于VOF方法的源造波一消波技术。通过对行波及驻波的计算,分别考察了数值波浪水槽前端及末端消波段的有效性。在本文建立的数值波浪水槽内对规则波在海堤上爬高和越浪过程进行了数值模拟,并将计算结果与现有实验结果进行了比较。验证计算结果表明,数值模拟结果较好地复演了海堤越浪过程。为了研究模型尺度对越浪量的影响,文中设计了一组满足重力相似但具有不同几何比尺的数值实验模型。系列数值实验结果表明,若按重力相似换算越浪量,计算结果与实验预报值间的偏差随模型比尺的增大和堤前波浪破碎强度的增强而增大,建议在进行越浪物理模型实验时需进一步考虑模型比尺对原型预报值的影响。     

An intermediate wavelength, weakly nonlinear theory for the evolution of capillary gravity waves

A new nonlinear evolution equation is derived for surface solitary waves propagating on a liquid-air interface where the wave motion is induced by a harmonic forcing. Instead of the traditional approach involving a base state of the long wave limit, a base state of harmonic waves is assumed for the perturbation analysis. This approach is considered to be more appropriate for channels of length just a few multiples of the depth. The dispersion relation found approaches the classical long wave limit. The weakly nonlinear dispersive waves satisfy a KdV-like nonlinear evolution equation with steeper nonlinearity.     

Numerical simulation of fully nonlinear irregular wave tank in three dimension

A fully nonlinear irregular wave tank has been developed using a three‐dimensional higher‐order boundary element method (HOBEM) in the time domain. The Laplace equation is solved at each time step by an integral equation method. Based on image theory, a new Green function is applied in the whole fluid domain so that only the incident surface and free surface are discretized for the integral equation. The fully nonlinear free surface boundary conditions are integrated with time to update the wave profile and boundary values on it by a semi‐mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian time marching scheme. The incident waves are generated by feeding analytic forms on the input boundary and a ramp function is introduced at the start of simulation to avoid the initial transient disturbance. The outgoing waves are sufficiently dissipated by using a spatially varying artificial damping on the free surface before they reach the downstream boundary. Numerous numerical simulations of linear and nonlinear waves are performed and the simulated results are compared with the theoretical input waves. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Free boundary problem of non-steady state seepage flow

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Transient wave behaviour over an underwater sliding hump from experiments and analytical and numerical modelling

Flume measurements of a one-dimensional sliding hump starting from rest in quiescence fresh water indicate that when the hump travels at speed less than the shallow-water wave celerity, three waves emerge, travelling in two directions. One wave travels in the opposite direction to the sliding hump at approximately the shallow-water wave celerity (backward free wave). Another wave travels approximately in step with the hump (forced wave), and the remaining wave travels in the direction of the hump at approximately the shallow-water wave celerity (forward free wave). These experiments were completed for a range of sliding hump speed relative to the shallow-water wave celerity, up to unity of this ratio, to investigate possible derivation from solutions of the Euler equation with non-linear and non-hydrostatic terms being included or excluded. For the experimental arrangements tested, the forced waves were negative (depression or reduced water surface elevation) waves while the free waves were positive (bulges or increased water surface elevation). For experiments where the sliding hump travelled at less than 80% of the shallow-water wave celerity did not include transient behaviour measurements (i.e. when the three waves still overlapped). The three wave framework was partially supported by these measurements in that the separated forward and forced waves were compared to measurements. For the laboratory scale experiments, the forward free wave height was predicted reasonably by the long-wave equation (ignoring non-linear and non-hydrostatic terms) when the sliding hump speed was less than 80% of the shallow-water wave celerity. The forced wave depression magnitude required the Euler equations for all hump speed tested. The long-wave solution, while being valid in a limited parameter range, does predict the existence of the three waves as found in these experiments (forward travelling waves measured quantitatively while the backward travelling waves visually by video). Nevertheless, the forced wave transient development required non-linear and non-hydrostatic terms for higher sliding hump speeds. The forward free wave, controversially, does not need non-linear and non-hydrostatic terms until much higher hump speeds, suggesting that the forward free wave falls in the parameter space where long-wave equations apply whereas the forced wave more often falls into the parameter space requiring non-linear and non-hydrostatic terms. It does raise the question of why the forced wave transient dynamics does not impact on the initial transient dynamics where the forward free wave is in the long-wave theory, escaping the forced wave (at least for speeds less than 80% of the shallow-water wave celerity).     

A meshless numerical wave tank for simulation of nonlinear irregular waves in shallow water

Time domain simulation of the interaction between offshore structures and irregular waves in shallow water becomes a focus due to significant increase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals. To obtain the time series of irregular waves in shallow water, a numerical wave tank is developed by using the meshless method for simulation of 2D nonlinear irregular waves propagating from deep water to shallow water. Using the fundamental solution of Laplace equation as the radial basis function (RBF) and locating the source points outside the computational domain, the problem of water wave propagation is solved by collocation of boundary points. In order to improve the computation stability, both the incident wave elevation and velocity potential are applied to the wave generation. A sponge damping layer combined with the Sommerfeld radiation condition is used on the radiation boundary. The present model is applied to simulate the propagation of regular and irregular waves. The numerical results are validated by analytical solutions and experimental data and good agreements are observed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Developments of numerical methods for linear and nonlinear fluid-solid interaction dynamics with applications

本文综述了线性与非线性流固耦合问题数值方法的进展及工程应用. 讨论了四种数值分析方法: (1) 混合有限元-子结构-子区域数值模型, 以求解有限域线性流固耦合问题, 如流体晃动, 声腔-结构耦合, 流体中的压力波, 化工容器的地震响应,坝水耦合等; (2) 混合有限元-边界元数值模型, 以求解涉及无限域的线性流固耦合问题, 如大型浮体承受飞机降落冲击, 船舰的炮击回应等; (3) 混合有限元-有限差分(体积) 数值模型, 以求解不涉及破浪和两相分离的非线性流固耦合问题; (4) 混合有限元-光滑粒子数值模型, 以求解涉及破浪和两相分离的非线性流固耦合问题. 文中推荐分区迭代求解过程, 以便应用现有的固体及流体求解器, 于毎一时间步长分别求解固体及流体的方程, 通过耦合迭代收敛, 向前推进以达问题求解. 文中选用的工程应用例子包含气-液-壳三相耦合, 液化天然气船水晃动, 人体步行冲击引起的声腔-建筑结构耦合, 大型浮体承受飞机降落冲击的瞬态动力回应, 涉及破浪和两相分离的气-翼耦合及结构于水上降落的冲击. 数值分析结果与可用的实验或计算结果作了比较, 以说明所述方法的精度及工程应用价值. 文中列出了基于流固耦合的波能采积装置模型, 以应用线性系统的共振及非线性系统的周期解原理, 有效地采积波能. 本文列出了231 篇参考文献, 以便读者进一步研讨所感兴趣方法.     

Dynamic stress concentration in an elastic half space with a semi-circular cavity excited by SH waves

Subject of the investigation is the stress distribution and the dynamic stress concentration factor at the surface of a semi-circular cavity in a half space excited by plane harmonic SH waves. Using wave function expansion for the incident wave and the reflected waves, a closed form solution is obtained. Numerical results are represented graphically.     

Physical mechanisms of the rogue wave phenomenon

A review of physical mechanisms of the rogue wave phenomenon is given. The data of marine observations as well as laboratory experiments are briefly discussed. They demonstrate that freak waves may appear in deep and shallow waters. Simple statistical analysis of the rogue wave probability based on the assumption of a Gaussian wave field is reproduced. In the context of water wave theories the probabilistic approach shows that numerical simulations of freak waves should be made for very long times on large spatial domains and large number of realizations. As linear models of freak waves the following mechanisms are considered: dispersion enhancement of transient wave groups, geometrical focusing in basins of variable depth, and wave-current interaction. Taking into account nonlinearity of the water waves, these mechanisms remain valid but should be modified. Also, the influence of the nonlinear modulational instability (Benjamin–Feir instability) on the rogue wave occurence is discussed. Specific numerical simulations were performed in the framework of classical nonlinear evolution equations: the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, the Davey–Stewartson system, the Korteweg–de Vries equation, the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation, the Zakharov equation, and the fully nonlinear potential equations. Their results show the main features of the physical mechanisms of rogue wave phenomenon.     

Extreme waves,modulational instability and second order theory: wave flume experiments on irregular waves

Here we discuss the statistical properties of the surface elevation for long crested waves characterized by Jonswap spectra with random phases. Experiments are performed in deep water conditions in one of the largest wave tank facilities in the world. We show that for long-crested waves and for large values of the Benjamin–Feir index, the second order theory is not adequate to describe the tails of the probability density function of wave crests and wave heights. We show that the probability of finding an extreme wave can be underestimated by more than one order of magnitude if second order theory is considered. We explain these observed deviations in terms of the modulational instability mechanism that for large BFI can take place in random wave spectra.     

Acceleration wave speeds in a hypoplastic constitutive model

The paper presents a theoretical investigation of acceleration waves in a plastic material described by an incrementally non-linear hypoplastic constitutive equation. Speeds of plane acceleration waves and their dependence on the stress state are calculated. The spectrum of possible wave speeds is found to be continuous, which is in contrast to discrete wave speed spectra in incrementally linear models. Two types of ill-posedness are revealed, known as flutter ill-posedness and stationary discontinuity. The wave speed analysis is also performed by the characteristic method, leading to different equations compared to the acceleration wave approach. It is proved that for the considered hypoplastic constitutive equation both approaches give identical wave speed spectra.     

INTERNAL SOLITARY WAVE LOADS EXPERIMENTS AND ITS THEORETICAL MODEL FOR A CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURE

在大型重力式密度分层水槽中, 对内孤立波与圆柱型结构的相互作用特性开展了系列实验. 基于两层流体中 内孤立波的KdV,eKdV和MCC理论, 建立了圆柱型结构内孤立波载荷的理论预报模型, 给出了该载荷理论预报模型中3类内孤立波理论的适用性条件.研究表明, 圆柱型结构内孤立波水平载荷包括水平Froude-Krylov力、附加质量力和拖曳力3个部分, 可以由Morison公式计算, 而内孤立波垂向载荷主要为垂向Froude-Krylov力, 可以由内孤立波诱导动压力计算.系列实验结果表明, 附加质量系数可以取为常数1.0, 拖曳力系数与内孤立波诱导速度场的雷诺数之间为指数函数关系, 而且基于理论预报模型的数值结果与系列实验结果吻合.     

Experimental study on crack curving propagation in bending beams under impulsive load

Dynamic fracture behaviour of crack curving in bent beams has been investigated. In order to understand the propagation mechanism of such cracks under impact, an experimental method is used that combines dynamic photoelasticity with dynamic caustics to study the interaction of the flexural waves and the crack. From the state change of the transient stresses in polymer specimen, the curving fracture in the impulsively loaded beams is analyzed. The dynamic responses of crack tips are evaluated by the stress intensity factors for the cracks running in varying curvature paths under bending stress wave. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Scientific Commission of Yunnan Province of China     

A unidirectional SH wave transducer based on phase-controlled antiparallel thickness-shear (d15) piezoelectric strips

In recent years, shear horizontal (SH) waves are being paid more and more attention to in structural health monitoring as it has only one displacement component. In this paper, a unidirectional SH wave transducer based on phase-controlled antiparallel thickness-shear (d₁₅) piezoelectric strips (APS) is proposed. Here two pairs of identical APS were used each of which is a bidirectional SH wave transducer. By setting the interval between the two pairs of APS as 1/4 wavelength and the excitation delay between them as 1/4 period of the central operating frequency, unidirectional SH waves can be excited. Both finite element simulations and experiments were performed to validate the proposed design. Results show that SH₀ waves were successfully excited only along one direction and those along the unwanted directions were suppressed very well. The proposed unidirectional SH wave transducer is very helpful to study the fundamentals and applications of SH waves.     

Forerunning mode transition in a continuous waveguide

We have discovered a forerunning mode transition as the periodic wave changing the state of a uniform continuous waveguide. The latter is represented by an elastic beam initially rested on an elastic foundation. Under the action of an incident sinusoidal wave, the separation from the foundation occurs propagating in the form of a transition wave. The critical displacement is the separation criterion. Under these conditions, the steady-state mode exists with the transition wave speed independent of the incident wave amplitude. We show that such a regime exists only in a bounded domain of the incident wave parameters. Outside this domain, for higher amplitudes, the steady-state mode is replaced by a set of local separation segments periodically emerging at a distance ahead of the main transition point. The crucial feature of this waveguide is that the incident wave group speed is greater than the phase speed. This allows the incident wave to deliver the energy required for the separation. The analytical solution allows us to show in detail how the steady-state mode transforms into the forerunning one. The latter studied numerically turns out to be periodic. As the incident wave amplitude grows the period decreases, while the transition wave speed averaged over the period increases to the group velocity of the wave. As an important part of the analysis, the complete set of solutions is presented for the waves excited by the oscillating or/and moving force acting on the free beam. In particular, an asymptotic solution is evaluated for the resonant wave corresponding to a certain relation between the load's speed and frequency.     

垂直参数激励表面波研究进展

受外激励的充液刚性容器中流体的波动问题有实际的工程应用背景.竖直方向的受周期性外激励的充液容器的自由表面波问题--Faraday波问题是流体力学三大不稳定性难题之一(另外两个不稳定性问题是Rayleigh-B\'enard对流和Taylor-Couette流).本文综述了在理想流体中和弱粘性流体中Faraday波的研究成果;介绍了作者在底部垂直激励的圆柱形容器中流体表面波图谱的实验研究和理论分析的结果.最后提出有待进一步研究的问题.图13,参74