Search results

1 – 10 of 180
Article
Publication date: 26 August 2014

J. Kelly, D. O’Sullivan, W.M.D. Wright, R. Alcorn and A.W. Lewis

The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the lessons learned from the successful deployment of a wave energy converter (WEC) and accelerate growth in the field of ocean energy…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the lessons learned from the successful deployment of a wave energy converter (WEC) and accelerate growth in the field of ocean energy.

Design/methodology/approach

A thorough, well structured, documented, industrial approach was taken to the deployment because of the depth and scale of the task required. This approach is shown throughout the paper, which reflects the importance of a comprehensive project plan in success as well as failure.

Findings

The findings demonstrate the viability of the use of off shore WEC to generate electricity and that such a project can be completed on time and on budget.

Research limitations/implications

The research implications of the paper include the importance of an enhanced, integrated supervisory system control in terms of efficiency, operation and maintenance, and long-term viability of WECs. This paper can be used to help guide the direction of further research in similar areas.

Practical implications

The practical implications include proof that WEC deployments can be carried out both on time and under budget. It highlights much of the practical data collected throughout the course of the project and presents it so that it might be used as a guide for future projects.

Originality/value

At the time of this paper, successful deployment of off shore WECs has been a rare accomplishment. Because the project was publicly funded, the data collected during this project, both technical and practical, is freely available.

Details

COMPEL: The International Journal for Computation and Mathematics in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 May 2022

Massicilia Dahmani, Abdelghani Seghir, Nabil Issaadi and Ouali Amiri

This study aims to propose a numerical modeling procedure for response analysis of elastic body floating in water and submitted to regular waves. An equivalent simplified…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to propose a numerical modeling procedure for response analysis of elastic body floating in water and submitted to regular waves. An equivalent simplified mechanical single-degree-of-freedom system allowing to reproduce the heave movements is first developed, then the obtained lumped characteristics are used for elastic analysis of the floating body in heave motion.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a two-dimensional numerical model of a rigid floating body in a wave tank is implemented under DualSPHysics, an open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. Then, the obtained results are exploited to derive an equivalent mechanical mass-spring-damper model. Finally, estimated equivalent characteristics are used in a structural finite element modeling of the considered body assuming elastic behavior.

Findings

Obtained results concerning the floating body displacements are represented and validated using existing experimental data in the literature. Wave forces acting on the body are also evaluated. It was found that for regular waves, it is possible to replace the complex CFD refined model by an equivalent simplified mechanical system which makes easy the use of structural finite element analysis.

Originality/value

The originality of this work lies in the proposed procedure to evaluate the mechanical properties of the equivalent elastic system. This allows to couple two different software tools and to take advantages of their features.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. 20 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 1 March 2012

Giles Jackson and Randy Boxx

Many entrepreneurial firms risk falling into a cash flow “Valley of Death”‐the stage of a young firmʼs life when seed funding is running dry but the firm has yet to secure…

1193

Abstract

Many entrepreneurial firms risk falling into a cash flow “Valley of Death”‐the stage of a young firmʼs life when seed funding is running dry but the firm has yet to secure sufficient additional funding to carry it through to product commercialization.This is particularly true in the nascent cleantech sector, where investments are often complex and capital intensive. Drawing on an in-depth interview with seasoned entrepreneur Brian Cunningham, CEO of the Wave Energy Conversion Corporation of America, this article explores the role of persistence in entrepreneurship, distinguishing between “calculated” and “blind” persistence.

Details

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2574-8904

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2009

The purpose of this paper is to look at the UK's tidal and wave energy resources and the numerous technologies in this area.

1135

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at the UK's tidal and wave energy resources and the numerous technologies in this area.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper looks at the innovations in the UK's tidal and wave energy technology.

Findings

While the Government may have been slow in recognizing the potential of the UK's tidal and wave energy resources, this has not stopped the country's marine renewable energy sector becoming a world leader, and a “hotbed” for innovation. For instance, a major area of technology where the UK is among the world leaders is in tidal stream systems, and numerous technologies are at various stages of research, development and commercialization. The same is true for wave energy conversation, where again a number of UK companies are developing and delivering some of the world's most advanced systems.

Originality/value

The paper provides useful information on the innovations in marine renewable energy sector.

Details

Strategic Direction, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0258-0543

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 September 2018

Nobuyuki Naoe and Akio Imazawa

This paper aims to present a Halbach magnet array linear machine, without an iron core and the electromotive force (EMF) characteristic results.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a Halbach magnet array linear machine, without an iron core and the electromotive force (EMF) characteristic results.

Design/methodology/approach

The linear machine was made with mover coils and a permanent magnet stator without an iron core. For an outline design, the analyzed magnetic density results were compared to the Halbach array with a horizontal array using the 3D finite element analysis. The test was carried out on an experimental system using a prototype linear machine. The EMF of the linear machine, with applied Halbach array magnetic circuit, is verified with the experiment.

Findings

The EMF peak value of the Halbach array is larger than the EMF of the horizontal array. Compared to the EMF in the experimental results, the effective value of the Halbach array is 1.69 times greater at an average operation speed of 373 mm/s.

Originality/value

The core-less linear machine has advantages of reduced cogging torque and iron loss because both the stator and the mover do not have an iron core. The stator and rotor will not rust from water. In this paper, it is clear from the basic electrical characteristics that the linear machine, with applied Halbach array, is larger than the EMF of the horizontal array.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 37 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 May 2023

Jackie Opfer, Miki Hondzo and V.R. Voller

The purpose of this study is to investigate the errors arising from the numerical treatment of model processes, paying particular attention to the impact of key system features…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the errors arising from the numerical treatment of model processes, paying particular attention to the impact of key system features including widely variable dispersion coefficients, spatiotemporal velocities of algal cells, and the aggregation of algae from single cells to large colonies. An advection–dispersion model has been presented to describe the vertical transport of colonial and motile harmful algae in a lake environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Model performance is examined for two different numerical treatments of the advective term: first-order upwind and quadratic upwind with a stability-preserving flux limiter (SMART). To determine how these schemes impact predictions, comparisons are made across a sequence of models with increasing complexity.

Findings

Using first-order upwinding for advection–dispersion calculations with a time oscillating velocity field leads to oscillatory numerical dispersion. Subjecting an initially uniform distribution of large-sized algal colonies to a spatiotemporal velocity creates a concentration pulse, which reaches a steady-state width at high-grid Peclet numbers when using the SMART scheme; the pulse exhibits contraction–expansion behavior throughout a velocity cycle at all Peclet numbers when using first-order upwinding. When aggregation dynamics are included with advection-dominated spatiotemporal transport, results indicate the SMART scheme predicts larger peak concentration values than those predicted by first-order upwind, but peak location and the time to large colony appearance remain largely unchanged between the two advective schemes.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first numerical investigation of a novel advection–dispersion model of vertical algal transport. In addition, a generalized expression for the effective dispersion coefficient of temporally variable flow fields is presented.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 33 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 July 2022

Mohamed Ouni, Fatih Selimefendigil, Besbes Hatem, Lioua Kolsi and Mohamed Omri

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impacts of combined utilization of multi-jet impinging cooling of nanofluids with magnetic field and porous layer on the cooling…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impacts of combined utilization of multi-jet impinging cooling of nanofluids with magnetic field and porous layer on the cooling performance, as effective cooling with impinging jets are obtained for various energy systems, including photovoltaic panels, electronic cooling and many other convective heat transfer applications.

Design/methodology/approach

Finite element method is used to explore the magnetic field effects with the inclusion of porous layer on the cooling performance efficiency of slot nanojet impingement system. Impacts of pertinent parameters such as Reynolds number (Re between 250 and 1,000), strength of magnetic field (Ha between 0 and 30), permeability of the porous layer (Da between 0.001 and 0.1) on the cooling performance for flat and wavy surface configurations are explored.

Findings

It is observed that the average Nusselt number (Nu) rises by about 17% and 20.4% for flat and wavy configuration while temperature drop of 4 K is obtained when Re is increased to 1,000 from 250. By using magnetic field at the highest strength, the average Nu rises by about 29% and 7% for flat and wavy cases. Porous layer permeability is an effective way of controlling the cooling performance while up to 44.5% variations in the average Nu is obtained by varying its value. An optimization routine is used to achieve the highest cooling rate while the optimum parameter set is obtained as (Re, Ha, Da, γ, sx) = (1,000, 30, 0.07558, 86.28, 2.585) for flat surface and (Re, Ha, Da, γ, sx) = (1,000, 30, 0.07558, 71.85, 2.329) for wavy surface configurations.

Originality/value

In thermal systems, cooling system design is important for thermal management of various energy systems, including fuel cells, photovoltaic panels, electronic cooling and many others. Impinging jets are considered as effective way of cooling because of its ability to give higher local heat transfer coefficients. This paper offers novel control tools, such as magnetic field, installation of porous layer and hybrid nano-liquid utilization for control of cooling performance with multiple impinging jets.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 33 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2015

Teresa Parra-Santos, J.R. Pérez-Domínguez, R.Z. Szasz and F. Castro-Ruiz

One current trend in burner technology is to obtain high efficiency while keeping low levels of NOx emissions. A swirling flow in combustion ensures a fixed position of a compact…

Abstract

Purpose

One current trend in burner technology is to obtain high efficiency while keeping low levels of NOx emissions. A swirling flow in combustion ensures a fixed position of a compact flame. Therefore, it is necessary to design efficient swirlers. Flow patterns are simulated for the different swirl devices proposed in this work. Two axial-swirlers are studied: one based on curve-vanes consisting of a straight line with an arc of a circle as the trailing edge and the other is the common flat-vanes. The purpose of this paper is to assess the accuracy of different swirl generators using a well-known benchmark test case.

Design/methodology/approach

This work deals with modelling the swirler using two approaches: the general purpose Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver Ansys-Fluent® and the suite of libraries OpenFOAM® to solve the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations, showing there is a slight deviation between both approaches. Their performance involves analyzing not only the Swirl number but also the size of the recirculation zones in the test chamber. A subsequent process on the flow patterns was carried out to establish the intensity of segregation which provides insight into the quality of mixing.

Findings

CFD models are feasible tools to predict flow features. It was found that numerical results tend to reduce the inner recirculation zone (IRZ) radial size. Further, an increase of the swirl number involves larger IRZ and a smaller outer recirculation zone (ORZ). The curved swirler displays a better axi-symmetric behaviour than flat vanes. There is weak influence of the chord vanes on the swirl number. The number of vanes is a compromise of head loses and guidance of the flow.

Originality/value

The paper offers two different approaches to solve turbulent swirling flows. One based in a general contrasted commercial tool and other using open source code. Both models show similar performance. An innovative set up for an axial swirler different from the conventional flat vanes was proposed.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2019

Mohammad Ghalambaz, S.A.M. Mehryan, Muneer A. Ismael, Ali Chamkha and D. Wen

The purpose of the present paper is to model a cavity, which is equally divided vertically by a thin, flexible membrane. The membranes are inevitable components of many…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present paper is to model a cavity, which is equally divided vertically by a thin, flexible membrane. The membranes are inevitable components of many engineering devices such as distillation systems and fuel cells. In the present study, a cavity which is equally divided vertically by a thin, flexible membrane is model using the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) associated with a moving grid approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The cavity is differentially heated by a sinusoidal time-varying temperature on the left vertical wall, while the right vertical wall is cooled isothermally. There is no thermal diffusion from the upper and lower boundaries. The finite-element Galerkin technique with the aid of an arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian procedure is followed in the numerical procedure. The governing equations are transformed into non-dimensional forms to generalize the solution.

Findings

The effects of four pertinent parameters are investigated, i.e., Rayleigh number (104 = Ra = 107), elasticity modulus (5 × 1012 = ET = 1016), Prandtl number (0.7 = Pr = 200) and temperature oscillation frequency (2p = f = 240p). The outcomes show that the temperature frequency does not induce a notable effect on the mean values of the Nusselt number and the deformation of the flexible membrane. The convective heat transfer and the stretching of the thin, flexible membrane become higher with a fluid of a higher Prandtl number or with a partition of a lower elasticity modulus.

Originality/value

The authors believe that the modeling of natural convection and heat transfer in a cavity with the deformable membrane and oscillating wall heating is a new subject and the results have not been published elsewhere.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 1961

Hand‐operated Acid Pump. The TK/HODP hand‐operated diaphragm acid pump is a portable unit suitable for works duties such as the emptying of carboys. The pump can be operated by…

Abstract

Hand‐operated Acid Pump. The TK/HODP hand‐operated diaphragm acid pump is a portable unit suitable for works duties such as the emptying of carboys. The pump can be operated by unskilled labour, is self‐priming and can accept a wide range of acids, alkalis, abrasive and corrosive liquors. Hose connections and pump housings are in Petrox ‘C’ ceramic material, and diaphragms are available in either rubber or Hypalon.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. 8 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

1 – 10 of 180