Numerical Study of an Oscillating Submerged Horizontal Plate Wave Energy Converter on the Southern Coast of Brazil: Parametric Analysis of the Variables Affecting Conversion Efficiency

Abstract

The utilization of ocean wave energy through environmentally sustainable technologies plays a pivotal role in the transition toward renewable energy sources. Among such technologies, the Submerged Horizontal Plate (SHP) stands out as a viable option for clean power production. This study focuses on the system’s application in a region on the southern coast of Brazil, identified as a potential site for future installation. To investigate this system, a three-dimensional numerical wave tank was developed to simulate wave behavior and hydrodynamic loads using the Navier–Stokes framework in the computational fluid dynamics software ANSYS FLUENT 2022 R2. The volume of fluid approach was adopted to track the free surface. The setup for wave generation in the numerical wave tank was verified against analytical solutions to ensure precision and validated under the SHP’s non-oscillating condition. To represent the oscillating condition, boundary conditions constrained motion along the x- and y-axes, allowing movement exclusively along the z-axis. A parametric analysis of 54 cases, with varying geometric configurations, wave characteristics, and submersion depths, indicated that the oscillating SHP configuration elongated perpendicular to wave propagation, combined with specific wave conditions, achieved a theoretical mean efficiency of 76.61%.

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