Development of a Numerical Method for the Calculation of Power Absorption by Arrays of Similar Arbitrarily Shaped Bodies in a Seaway

Abstract

A computational procedure is developed using first-order hydrodynamic theory to predict the motions and power absorption from arrays of similar three-dimensional buoys. The buoy shape and the number and placement of the buoys may be arbitrarily selected. The program provides for waves of selected frequency and direction or combinations thereof by simple superposition; thus, the effects on energy absorption of wave energy spectral distributions or short-crestedness can be analyzed. The computer model has been validated by comparison of its results with published analytically derived power optimal solutions for five buoys in a linear array. The program provides the power output of each buoy in the array with the associated motions in six degrees of freedom. The limited number of cases studied has provided the interesting result that identical buoys in an array tend to absorb wave energy at rates close to those of optimized systems for which buoy amplitude and phasing would have to be controlled.