Work

Impact of wave focusing and transverse sloshing on the wave energy harvesting of an oscillating water column (OWC) in a wave flume

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Focusing wave energy on an oscillatory wave column (OWC) is an effective way to enhance its energy harvesting efficiency. A properly designed rectangular OWC can achieve maximum efficiency greater than 100% because of its inherent wave focusing ability. For an infinite row of OWC devices under perpendicular incident waves, the hydrodynamic efficiency of each OWC device is affected by two factors: wave focusing and possible transverse sloshing. Due to symmetry, this configuration is equivalent to one OWC device within a wave flume. This study uses numerical simulations to investigate the impact of wave focusing and transverse sloshing on a OWC in a wave flume efficiency. The peak efficiency is found to reduce with the decrease of fume width. Through wave ray visualization, this paper found that the fundamental mechanism of transverse sloshing that causes minimum values of efficiency is the multiple reflection of the waves between the flume side wall and the centre line of the OWC.

Source: Ocean Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2026.124674