Title: Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics model for wave energy converters in survival conditions
Approximate start date: 10/2018-9/2022
Funder: China Scholarship Council
Investigators: Guixun Zhu (PhD)
Supervisors: Professor Deborah Greaves, Dr David Graham, Dr Siming Zheng, Dr Jason Hughes
Wave energy is in fact one of the most available and cleanest renewable energy sources. For wave energy converters (WECs) design, the numerical models are a suitable and necessary tool. Due to the simplified assumption, linear numerical methods cannot model true sea states. CFD models are considered one of the best numerical tools to study the hydrodynamic interaction between waves and WECs. Nevertheless, mesh-based CFD methods present the limitations to deal with extremely large deformations and rapidly moving geometries. While meshless methods has shown their ability to simulate large deformations, complex free surface and strongly nonlinear problems, which are common and important in the ocean environment. Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is, possibly, the most popular meshless method and has attained the required level of maturity to be used for engineering purposes thanks to more powerful computer technology. Hence, SPH is an ideal technique to simulate WECs in survival conditions.
Key aims of the project:
Develop a parallel 2D/3D SPH model for WECs for prediction of survival in extreme conditions
2D SPH model for oscillating water column
