Mitigating wave impacts on an oscillating water column by investigating the effect of artificial vegetation

Oscillating Water Columns (OWC) wave energy converters can be subjected to large wave impacts during operation. The powerful waves can present obstacles and potential threats to the operation and structural integrity of the structures. Large waves can cause fatigue and damage over time, or they can overwhelm the structure, allowing water to infiltrate the system and potentially affecting the air column's functionality. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an increase in drag effect under unconstrained surface due to planting, as well as a change in the model's capabilities. The rate of wave impact vulnerability and compress air variations on the model, as well as their cumulative effect, were investigated. A novel configuration is investigated to reduce wave impact while maintaining high energy conversion efficiency. The wave attenuation was measured when rigid planting material was implanted in front of the model wave energy converter. The model tank was subjected to sloshing motion at the same oscillation frequency in both planted and not planted cases. To comprehend the effect of vegetation on wave strikes, strain gauges were affixed to the front of the model OWC. In addition, a pressure sensor was installed to measure the compressed air that was riding the turbine and evaluate its performance.