Perpustakaan Digital ITB

Wave energy is a form of Ocean Energy that can be harnessed for electricity. Wave energy’s implementation is considered relatively new, with the first commercial application in Japan during the late 20th century. Oscillating water column technology is one of the many wave energy generators heavily studied in the past decade. Most of the research focuses on the power-take-off system, while the study on the chamber is still very limited. Especially in Indonesia, most research only covers the analytical approach to its application. In this experimental study, a 1/25 scale model of an inverted U-shaped oscillating water column was tested on 17 different waves condition. These conditions were selected such that it has a resemblance to that of the water wave parameter on the South Coast of Central Java, Indonesia. The model was made from acrylic sheets, and the experiments were conducted in the 2-D wave flume laboratory at ITB Jatinagor. This experiment aims to see how the different waves condition and entrance sizes affect the response and performance of the air chamber. It is found that wave height had a greater effect on power production when compared to the incident wave period. Additionally, the result shows that the capture factor could decrease by as much as 20% with a change of 16% from the optimal wave period. Thus, designing an appropriate chamber natural frequency that is close to the normal operating wave period will be beneficial to obtain the highest capture factor possible. The natural frequency is affected by the overall geometry of the chamber. However, the result shows that choosing an alternative design of larger entrance could potentially provide higher capture factor value and better response of the chamber.