Performance of a two-body heaving cylindrical wave energy converter on stepped sea bottom

The present study deals with the surface gravity wave interaction with a heaving dual concentric cylindrical wave energy converter (WEC) buoy system on the stepped sea bottom. The energy captured by linear electric generator (LEG), is directly proportional to relative heave motion of the present WEC buoy system. In the present study, the analytical diffraction and radiation problems are solved using the Fourier-Bessel series expansion method and matched eigenfunction expansion method (MEFEM) under the assumption of small amplitude water wave theory and structural responses. Wave exciting force acting on both vertical cylinders is obtained. The role of the step type bottom on the relative heave response amplitude operator (RAO) of the buoy system, is analyzed for various structural configurations and wave characteristics. A series of experiments are carried out in a two-dimensional wave flume both with and without the presence of step-type bottom. The computed results are in good agreement with the experimental results. It is found that the inclusion of artificial step at the sea bottom leads to higher wave energy harnessing. The findings of the present study are likely to be of immense help in the design and development of various point absorber-type WEC buoy systems.