Mathematical Model defining time based equations for air velocity and acceleration in an OWC.

Variables and Constants used in the Calculations:

Kair= Buoyancy Constant for air KWater = Buoyancy constant for water A= Surface area of the oscillating water surface a= area of the turbine duct g= Gravitational Acceleration

Mwater= Mass of water that oscillates Mair = Mass of air that oscillates Ywater= Displacement of water oscillations Yair = Displacement of air oscillations a= acceleration v= velocity vd = velocity in turbine duct. T= time period of the oscillations t= time wo = angular velocity rad/s water = density of water (1000kg/m3) air= density of air ( 1kg/m3)

Assumptions: 1. 2. 3. 4. The effect of turbine damping is not included in the equation. The oscillating water system is analogous to the mass spring vibrating system. k is the buoyancy constant which is analogous to the spring stiffness constant. Air is incompressible.

Mathematical Calculations: The buoyancy constant is defined by (1). = (1)

Now we consider the analogy of the vibrating spring mass system with the applied force being the product of the vibrating water mass and its acceleration which equals the buoyancy constant times the displacement as shown by (2).

. =

(2)

. 2 =
2

(3)

. 2 + = 0

(4)

The solution to the differential equation (4) is given by equation (5). () = cos + sin =

(5) (6)

A and B are the constants which are to be determined by initial values of t and y. At t=0, y=0 so A is equal to 0, leaving us with equation (7). This assumes that motion started from the mean position with some initial velocity. B in (7) represents maximum amplitude of the oscillations. = sin

(7)

= cos

(8)

2 2

2 = sin

(9)

The equations 8 and 9 represent the time based accelerations and velocity equations of the oscillating water column. The air above the water surface is in contact with the water surface therefore (8) and (9) are also a representative of the air velocity and acceleration.

As the air is incompressible equation of continuity is used to calculate the air velocity in the turbine duct. =

(10)

Now we know that the expression for power carried by air in the turbine duct of an oscillating water column model is given by,

(11)

This expression of power is taken from the theory of Wind Mills.

Velocity and Acceleration plots of the time based equations. The time period is 2.83 seconds which is determined from W o.

= cos

=
6 4 2 0

2 2

2 = sin

acceleration 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 Velocity

-2 -4 -6

B is 1 m (t)/s 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 2.83 v(m/s) a(m/s2) 2.21 0 0.99 -4.318 -1.33 -3.92 -2.17 0.87 -0.62 4.68 1.619 3.33 2.21 0