Sloshing dynamics of liquid tank with built-in buoys for wave energy harvesting

This paper proposes a novel design of liquid tank with built-in buoys for wave energy harvesting, named the 'sloshing wave energy converter (S-WEC)'. When the tank is oscillated by external loads (such as ocean waves), internal liquid sloshing is activated, and the mechanical energy of sloshing waves can be absorbed by the power take-off (PTO) system attached to these buoys. A fully-nonlinear numerical model is established based on the boundary element method for a systematic investigation on dynamic properties of the proposed S-WEC. A motion decoupling algorithm based on auxiliary functions is developed to solve the nonlinear interaction of sloshing waves and floating buoys in the tank. An artificial damping model is introduced to reflect viscous effects of the sloshing liquid. Physical experiments are carried out on a scaled S-WEC model to validate the mathematical and numerical methodologies. Natural frequencies of the S-WEC system are first investigated through spectrum analyses on motion histories of the buoy and sloshing liquid. The viscous damping strength is identified through comparisons with experimental measurements. Effects of the PTO damping on power generation characteristics of S-WEC is further explored. An optimal PTO damping can be found for each excitation frequency, leading to the maximisation of both the power generation and conversion efficiency of the buoy. To determine a constant PTO damping for engineering design, a practical approach based on diagram analyses is proposed. Effects of the buoy's geometry on power generation characteristics of the S-WEC are also investigated. In engineering practice, the present design of S-WEC can be a promising technical solution of ocean wave energy harvesting, based on its comprehensive advantages on survivability enhancement, metal corrosion or fouling organism inhibition, power generation stability and efficiency, and so on.