Enhancing wave energy conversion by multi-floating bodies arrayed within near-trapping modes

As wave energy converters move towards commercialization and large-scale applications, they must often be deployed in arrays to reduce costs and achieve better wave energy conversion performance. However, the hydrodynamic interactions of Point Absorber Wave Energy Converters (PA-WECs) under extreme wave conditions (near-trapping) are complex and difficult to assess. The effect of array arrangement on the capture performance and interaction of wave energy converters within the array has not been fully investigated. To address this gap, the time-domain modeling of arrayed multi-floating bodies is developed by matching the Rankine source panel method with Green’s function. Through a series of numerical simulations, the effects of factors such as incident wave angle, adjacent spacing between devices, and array arrangement on the wave energy conversion performance of arrays are investigated, along with the causes of interference. The wave energy conversion performance of linear and square arrays is also thoroughly evaluated and compared. The findings indicate that the mean interaction factor of square arrays is significantly greater than that of linear arrays at smaller incident wave angles, particularly in near-trapping modes. Square arrays exhibit superior wave energy conversion and attenuation performance compared to linear arrays.