Implementation and Verification of a Wave-to-Wire Model of an Oscillating Water Column with Impulse Turbine

The increased demand for clean renewable sources of electricity has fostered strong growth in wave energy development in recent years. This led to greater understanding of the various systems involved in the conversion of wave energy to electrical energy, which in turn led to more accurate and sophisticated models of each system. Mathematical models have been developed independently to represent the various interactions that take place within wave energy converters (WEC). In this paper, models used to represent the various stages of energy conversion that occur within an oscillating water column (OWC) have been combined to create a single wave-to-wire model of an OWC. The model was then compared to the experimental results from the FP-7 CORES OWC deployment project. The results show good agreement between modeled and experimental data. The model can be used to estimate the power output of an OWC, as well as to test control strategies and algorithms allowing for development in the control of OWCs before physical deployment.