Experimental modelling of Very Large Floating Structures equipped with OWC type WECs: harvesting of energy and damper effects

This paper presents the results coming from a research project aiming at assessing the hydraulic efficiency and the damper effect of Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converters (OWCs) integrated in a pontoon-type Very Large Floating Structure (VLFS). OWCs performance, in terms of damper effect and capture width, are evaluated by means of small-scale laboratory experiments, performed by testing two different VLFS lengths and varying three of the most relevant design parameters of the integrated device, such as the size of the chamber, the lip drought and the damping induced by the air turbine.