Maximum wave-power absorption by attenuating line absorbers under volume constraints

This work investigates the consequences of imposing a volume constraint on the maximum power that can be absorbed from progressive regular incident waves by an attenuating line absorber heaving in a travelling wave mode. Under assumptions of linear theory an equation for the maximum absorbed power is derived in terms of two dimensionless independent variables representing the length and the half-swept volume of the line absorber. The equation gives the well-known result for a point absorber wave energy converter in the limit of zero length and it gives Budal's upper bound in the limit of zero volume. The equation shows that the maximum power absorbed by a heaving point absorber is limited regardless of its volume, whilst for a heaving line absorber whose length tends to infinity the maximum power is proportional to its swept volume, with no limit. Power limits arise for line absorbers of practical lengths and volumes but they can be multiples of those achieved for point absorbers of similar volumes. This conclusion has profound implications for the scaling and economics of wave energy converters.

▸ Equation for power absorbed from regular waves by attenuating heaving line absorbers. ▸ Equation parametrised by two dimensionless variables: half-swept-volume and length. ▸ A line absorber can absorb more power than a point absorber of equal volume. ▸ Line absorbers (unlike point absorbers) can be scaled-up in volume, length and power. ▸ Line absorbers can achieve economies of scale not achievable by point absorbers.