Performance improvement of a cross-flow air turbine for oscillating water column wave energy converter by nozzle and blade optimization

Abstract

The global pursuit of renewable energy solutions has highlighted the potential of wave energy converters (WECs), particularly oscillating water column (OWC) systems, as viable clean energy sources. This study focuses on optimizing a cross-flow air turbine (CFAT) through comprehensive numerical simulations, aimed at enhancing its performance as the power take-off system in OWC applications. The influences of various geometrical parameters, such as including nozzle entry arc angle, nozzle starting angle, and angle of attack, on the performance of the CFAT are investigated. The optimized turbine model achieves a peak efficiency (η) of 0.71 in unidirectional flow at a flow coefficient (Φ) of 0.41, representing a significant improvement over the reference model (η = 0.61 at Φ = 0.29). In addition, the performance of the optimized CFAT is evaluated under regular wave conditions, simulating the bidirectional flow typical of real-world OWC applications. Although the peak efficiency in reciprocating flow slightly decreases, shifting to 0.68 at Φ = 0.53, the turbine maintains a high mean efficiency throughout the operating cycle. The results demonstrate that the optimized CFAT model provides robust performance in both unidirectional and bidirectional flows, making it a promising candidate for enhancing the efficiency of OWC-based WECs.