maintain, and do not require anchorage in deepwater areas and long-distance
submarine cable equipment. For example, the buoy wave power generation device
floating on the sea uses the airflow generated by the wave fluctuation to impact the
turbine to generate electricity. The turbogenerator unit of shoreline wave power
generation device is installed on the shore, which compresses the air by waves and
drives the turbine with strong aerodynamic force.
14.2 Basic Structure and Pneumatic Principle
Oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy generator is the most common ocean
wave energy converter. Its schematic diagram is shown in Fig. 14.1. The device is
driven indirectly by ocean waves, so its service life is longer. The chamber of
oscillating water column consists of solid parts. The wall and water shown in
Fig. 14.1 isolate the air chamber from the outside world, and the incident wave
drives the water column to vibrate vertically through the inlet of the air chamber
under the sea. The upper part of the air chamber is connected with a slender circular
tube. The oscillating water surface causes the volume change of the air chamber,
and thus emits or absorbs air. The airflow in the tube drives the air turbine and
drives the coupled generator to generate electricity. The rectifier circuit is omitted
by using unidirectional rotating turbine, which simplifies the wave energy generating device of oscillating water column. There are two types of unidirectional
rotating turbines, as shown in Fig. 14.2.
Fig. 14.1 Schematic diagram of oscillating water column ocean wave energy converter
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14 Pneumatic Principle and Device of Oscillating Water …
submarine cable equipment. For example, the buoy wave power generation device
floating on the sea uses the airflow generated by the wave fluctuation to impact the
turbine to generate electricity. The turbogenerator unit of shoreline wave power
generation device is installed on the shore, which compresses the air by waves and
drives the turbine with strong aerodynamic force.
14.2 Basic Structure and Pneumatic Principle
Oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy generator is the most common ocean
wave energy converter. Its schematic diagram is shown in Fig. 14.1. The device is
driven indirectly by ocean waves, so its service life is longer. The chamber of
oscillating water column consists of solid parts. The wall and water shown in
Fig. 14.1 isolate the air chamber from the outside world, and the incident wave
drives the water column to vibrate vertically through the inlet of the air chamber
under the sea. The upper part of the air chamber is connected with a slender circular
tube. The oscillating water surface causes the volume change of the air chamber,
and thus emits or absorbs air. The airflow in the tube drives the air turbine and
drives the coupled generator to generate electricity. The rectifier circuit is omitted
by using unidirectional rotating turbine, which simplifies the wave energy generating device of oscillating water column. There are two types of unidirectional
rotating turbines, as shown in Fig. 14.2.
Fig. 14.1 Schematic diagram of oscillating water column ocean wave energy converter
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14 Pneumatic Principle and Device of Oscillating Water …