Date of Award

Winter 2025

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Ocean Engineering

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

David W Fredriksson

Second Advisor

Andrew Gish

Third Advisor

Martin Wosnik

Abstract

This thesis presents the design, development, and characterization of a free-floating Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Wave Energy Converter (WEC) created by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Center for Sustainable Seafood Systems (CSSS) in collaboration with the United States Naval Academy (USNA) Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering Department. The project aims to advance small-scale WEC technologies for integration into aquaculture systems along with remote military applications.The initial design and construction of the OWC was completed as a USNA senior capstone project, providing the foundation for subsequent development and testing. The OWC was tested in the UNH Jere A. Chase Ocean Engineering Laboratory, with initial tests focused on low-cost mounting systems designed to restrict motion to heave and increase power generation capability. However, the mounting system did not perform as intended and was deemed unsuitable for continued use. This prompted a shift in study toward hydrodynamic characterization of the OWC and moored integration into the UNH AquaFort system. Free release tests were conducted to quantify the hydrodynamic characteristics of the OWC in heave, pitch/roll, and surge. OWC wave response was also quantified with the calculation of response amplitude operators (RAO). The hydrodynamic properties and RAOs contributed to the development of a numerical model of the OWC in OrcaFlex. The model was used to bring the OWC and AquaFort together as a system, which developed the attachment mechanisms and mooring configurations for the OWC. This study advances ongoing collaboration between UNH and USNA toward future Department of Energy (DOE) grants for WEC field deployments supporting sustainable aquaculture.

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