Development and assessment of a new geometry for CECO wave energy converter

Abstract

CECO is a wave energy converter (WEC) of the oscillating body type equipped with an inclined PTO and able to absorb simultaneously the kinetic and the potential wave energy. The outcomes of recent studies are described in the paper to provide an overview on the present status of knowledge about this WEC. A detailed numerical study was carried out to overcome identified issues and optimize its geometry for the conditions typical of the North Atlantic Coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The enhanced geometry was then tested on a geometric scale of 1/25 at the wave basin of the Faculty of Engineering-University of Porto, Portugal. The conclusions obtained supported the design of the new geometry, which is prepared for rougher wave conditions and presents a better hydrodynamic performance than the original one for the target sea conditions. Finally, the next research steps are briefly described.