Análise e comparação do desempenho de uma central de energia das ondas do tipo coluna de água oscilante equipada com turbinas de acção e turbinas Wells.

Eugénio Cláudio Vieira

Key information

Authors:

Eugénio Cláudio Vieira (Eugénio Cláudio Vieira Corvelo)

Supervisors:

Luís Manuel De Carvalho Gato (Luís Manuel De Carvalho Gato)

Published in

06/17/2011

Abstract

Wave energy converters of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) type, are considered among the various systems studied and / or in activities of research and development, the most studied and the one where it was deposited great research effort over the past three decades. Despite the effort devoted to OWC systems, the air turbine has always appeared as the most critical element in the energy conversion chain. Turbines for such applications are subject to very demanding operating conditions, more demanding than that observed for other applications, such as wind power. In OWC systems, the turbine is subject to air flows that reverse it´s direction twice per wave cycle, random, and highly variable over various time scales. Due to its inherently self-rectifying characteristics, the Wells turbine has been the most used in OWC conversion systems. However, in recent years, having been recognized the great potential of development with regard to aerodynamics; the self-rectifying impulse turbine has progressively been considered most promising to equip future OWC systems. The wheel of this turbine is basically identical to the wheel of a steam impulse turbine stage. The relative merits have not yet been totally clarified. This work intends to give a further contribution in this direction.