Analysis of Floating Buoy of a Wave Power Generating Jack-Up Platform Haiyuan 1

Abstract

The paper focuses on the performance of floating buoys of a wave power generating jack-up platform called Haiyuan 1, in order to work out the optimum designed draft and hydraulic pressure. The performance of the buoy, especially its delivered power, is an important issue in designing oscillating buoy wave energy converter. In this case, major factors affect the performance including incident wave, designed draft, and hydraulic pressure on the buoy. To find out the relationship among design draft, hydraulic pressure, and delivered power, the key point is to precisely estimate wave induced motion of the buoy. Three-dimensional theory and time domain method based on potential theory were adopted in the paper. Unlike ship and other floating structures, motion of wave energy converter (WEC) buoy in wave will be weakened because of energy take-off, which will cause significant draft changing with time. Thus, draft changing should be taken into consideration as well. In addition, green water problem occurs more frequently than that in ship and other floating structures and also might the reduce delivered power. Therefore, green water problem will also be taken into account when choosing the optimum designed draft and hydraulic pressure. The calculation indicates that the optimum designed draft is 0.935 m, while the optimum designed hydraulic pressure is 30 kN.