International Seminar On Infrastructure Development 2016

(ISID 2016)Makassar, Indonesia, September 22, 2016

OVERTOPPING METHOD FOR WAVE ENERGY CONVERTER: A REVIEW

A. Ilda Dwi Puspita 1, M. Arsyad Thaha 2 , M. Saleh Pallu 3 and Farouk Maricar 4

ABSTRACT: Wave energy is being increasingly regarded in many countries as a major, promising and renewable
resource. This paper present the development of wave energy utilization, especially the overtopping devices. Several
topics are addressed: the characterization of the overtopping device as a wave energy converter; theoretical
background,and the development study of the overtopping method, concept, design, and model-testing for wave energy
converter. As a conclusion,the advantages of the overtopping device as wave energy converter compared to another
type of wave energy converter are described, that include the opportunity of overtopping devices to be able to applied in
conventional coastal protection such us breakwater.

Keywords: wave energy converter, overtopping device, coastal protection.

INTRODUCTION
Wave energy is a type of well-concentrated renewable energy when compared to other renewable energy resources,
such as solar, wind etc., and itshave a huge potentials. Itisnow recognized that efficiently utilising wave energy may
make significant contributions to achieve the target of green energy and offer great prospects for the marine renewable
energy sector.
A wave energy converter(WEC) is adevice for extracting energy from wave sand converting the extracted energy
into useful energy. Most WECs may have two or more energy conversion stages. Essentially, the first conversion stage
is the primary wave energy conversion in which the wave-excited components of the device or the water bodies in
oscillating water columns or overtopping devices convert wave energy into mechanical or potential energy. In the
second conversion stage, a power take-off system, such as hydraulic pump/motor, direct electrical generator, air turbine
or water turbine (depending on the principle of the wave energy converter), is often applied to convert the
mechanical/potential energy into useful energy(Sheng et al. 2014).
(Drew et al. 2009), classified wave energy converter into two classification i.e. the type and the mode of operation.
Wave energy converter based on type, consisting of three types: Attenuator device, for example Pelamis; Point absorber
device, for example Powerbuoy; and terminator device, for example Salter's duck. On a wave energy converter based on
the operating mode consists of four types: first, Submerged pressure differential, for example: the Archimedes; second,
Oscillating wave surge converter, for example Oyster; third, Oscillating water column, for example the limpet; and the
fourth is overtopping devices, for example the wave dragon as a floating structure and tapchan, SSG as fixed structure.
This paper focuses the discussion on overtopping devices, and the advantages of overtopping devices compared to
the other type.

LITERATURES REVIEW
Characteristic
Overtopping devices are partially submerged wave energy converter with reservoirs for capturing wave crests and
water turbines to produce electricity. The kinetic energy of the waves is converted to potential energy when incoming
waves are led up a ramp and is collected in the reservoir. The water returns to the ocean from the reservoir through
water turbines, thus utilizing the potential difference between the ocean and the reservoir to generate electricity.
Overtopping devices are in general large structures, shore-based or in the ocean that channel waves into a basin or
reservoir. When the basin’s water level becomes higher than the ocean’s, the head of collected water turns the turbines
as it flows back out to sea and the turbines are coupled to generators to produce electricity. The technology is similar to
a hydropower system, in which draining water runs a turbine. These machines make use mainly of well-established
technologies, thus reducing development cost sand risks; the only moving parts are the turbine(s) and there are no
components moving with the waves, thus minimizing loadings and breaking risks, as well as reducing the requirements

1
Doctoral Course Student, Civil Engineering Department, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, INDONESIA
2
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, INDONESIA
3
Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, INDONESIA
4
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, INDONESIA

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on the structure and moorings. They are easily scalable without the need for reconfiguration bor tuning. The presence of
a reservoir, acting as a buffer, helps smoothing and stabilizing the power output.

Overtopping Theory
Overtopping is defined as the amount of water, which exceeds the crest of coast structures. The energy of incoming
wave is dissipated by breaking, friction, infiltration or is reflected. The rest of the kinetic energy is transformed in
potential energy. When the slope is not too long or the crest is not high enough this conversion is not total and the
freeboard (R) is exceeded. Consequently, some water pass over the crest of the structure as see in Fig.1.

Fig. 1 Schema of overtopping process.

(Brito, 2010)

For coastal structures, the mean overtopping discharge can be calculated by empirical formulae or by physical and
numerical models. Empirical formulas are based in interpolation results of tests made in physical models for structures
with a specific geometry, while physical and numerical models are applications for specific situations. Due to the low
cost and swiftness of empirical formulas, these are more used to estimate wave overtopping discharge. However they
are limited for a small number of geometries. Thiese formulas are conditioned by the wave climate and the geometry of
the structure. Mean overtopping discharge, q, is function of the parameters below(Brito, 2010):

(1)

= Significant wave height at the toe of the seawall

= Mean wave period at the toe of the seawall
= Angle wave attack
= Freeboard of the seawall
= Water depth at toe of structure
= Acceleration due to gravity

Some formulas consider the reduction of wave overtopping caused by slope roughness, r, berm, b, water depth, h,
and angle wave attack, β, dividing the freeboard, R , for the respective reduction coefficient: .
In general, mean overtopping discharge is expressed by two typical forms shown in equations (2) and (3), where a
and b are tabled coefficients that change according to the structure geometry. Q and R are undimensional parameters of
overtopping discharge and freeboard, respectively.

(2)

(3)

Categorization of Overtopping WEC’s

Overtopping devices have been designed and tested for both onshore and offshore applications. So, they are
categorized in two groups: coast based and floating structures based on (Bevilacqua & Zanuttigh, 2010).

Coast based devices

Among the few WECs that have been built and tested is the Norwegian TAPCHAN (TAPered CHANnel). This
device is equipped with the same machinery as a low pressure hydroelectric power station with a reservoir and a Kaplan
turbine. The reservoir is fed by waves trapped by a broad channel opening that reaches into the sea. Towards the
reservoir the channel is tapered and bent in such a way that the waves pile up and spill over the channel margin.
Studies have also been performed on a variation of this coast based approach where overtopping water is not used to
produce power but to recirculate water in harbors (in a project called Kingston harbor pump). This approach can be

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useful at locations where only a small tide exists and therefore only insufficient flushing of the harbors occurs. As the
coast based overtopping devices work best in areas with small tidal ranges this can be a very useful application. Sketch
of Tapchan can be seen in Fig.2.

Fig. 2 Sketch of Tapchan Wave Energy Converter

Another Norwegian project, called Seawave Slot-cone Generator (SSG), utilizes wave overtopping of more than
one reservoir placed at different levels and is suitable for on shore application. The structure consists of a number of
reservoirs one on the top of each others above the mean water level, in which the water of incoming waves is stored
temporary. In each reservoir, expressively designed low head hydro turbines are converting the potential energy of the
stored water into power as seen in fig.3.
The operating principle is very simple. The incoming wave will run uphill a slope and on its return it will flow into
reservoirs. After the wave is captured inside the reservoirs, the water will run through the patented multi stage turbine.
Using this method practically all waves regardless of size and velocity, can be captured for energy production.

Fig. 3 Seawave Slot-cone Generator (SSG) Wave Energy Converter

In Denmark one of the WECs which has been most developed is the Wave Dragon (WD) as seen in fig.4. The WD
combines ideas from TAPCHAN and Sea Power and is a floating structure equipped with wave reflectors that focus the
waves towards the slope.
When waves have been focused by the reflectors they overtop the ramp and fill the reservoir, which mis situated at a
higher level than the surrounding sea. This hydraulic head is utilized for power production through the hydro turbines.

Fig. 4 Sketch of Wave Dragon Wave Energy Converter

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES OF OVERTOPPING WEC

(Buccino et al. 2015) provides a first analysis on the viability of a very low-head hydropower plant, in which waves
accumulate water into a shoreline reservoir created by a steep detached ramp. The system is particularly suitable for
micro-tidal environments such as the Mediterranean Sea and has the additional advantage of protecting shorelines,
seawalls and coastal assets from wave action. Physical model tests, conducted with regular waves, have been used to get
a preliminary estimate of the average water flux overtopping the ramp in a sea state; a novel low-head hydropower
machine, developed at Southampton University, has been considered for the conversion of the hydraulic energy into
electricity. The sketch of the model in this research shown in fig.5.

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Fig. 5 Sketch of the composite seawall wave energy converter system

The paper has explored the potential of an “ultra-low head” hydropower plant including a shoreline overtopping
reservoir, created by a detached low crested ramp, and a novel turbine (the Hydrostatic Power Machine) developed to
produce energy with head differences ranging between 1 and 3.5 m.
The system, conceptually similar to stilling basins and composite seawalls, offers itself as a multi-purpose structure
for wave energy utilization and coastal defense.
The Results of 96 regular wave experiments, specifically conducted at the University of Southampton, have been
analyzed to assess the overtopping performance of the outer slope. In the tests, the case of composite (multi-linear)
structures has been considered as a possible compromise between the needs of enhancing the overtopping rate and
reducing the structure length.
(Lee & Lee, 2013) develop a wave power generation device with resonance channels. The device also works as a
breakwater. The device has a sloping wall in which resonance channels are open to the sea. Behind the wall there is a
reservoir which stores water passing through the channel and overtopping to the air. Under the water surface, the
reservoir is connected to the rear side with a pipe in which wave power generation device exists. The sketch of the
model in this research shown in fig.6.

Fig. 6 Configuration of wave power generation device with resonance channel

The results of numerical experiments showed that overtopping discharge becomes maximal around the analytically
predicted resonance period.
(Vicinanza et al. 2014)development of an economically and environmentally sustainable coastal infrastructure,
which combines rubble mound breakwaters with Wave Energy Converters (WEC). The energy is produced by
collecting wave overtopping in a front reservoir, which is returned to the sea through turbines.
Wave loadings and average wave overtopping rate at the rear side of the rubble mound breakwater and in thefront
reservoir are discussed on the basis of physical 2-D model tests carried out at Aalborg University (DK).The experiments
have been analyzed and compared with results from model tests and wave load design formulae by Nørgaard et al.
(2013) for traditional rubble mound crown walls.
The existing prediction methods seemunable to predict the hydraulic performances and loadings on the front
reservoir and thus new prediction formulaeare proposed based on the new experiments. The formulae are provided with
the aim to be of direct use toengineers in the preliminary design of a first prototype of combined breakwater and wave
energy converter.
WEC devices need by nature to be exposed to large wave forces and are generally designed to face and challenge
the sea as much as possible. The results of this study suggest coastal engineers to design breakwaters with the
innovative aim of “capturing the wave energy”. This paper gives information on a novel coastal structure named
OBREC (Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion) designed in terms of safe hydraulic performance and global
stability comparable with the traditional rubble mounds and able to produce electricity.
OBREC shows similar or reduced average reflection coefficient with respect to traditional rubble mound
breakwater. OBREC is not able to ensure similar safety level of traditional breakwater with same overall dimensions.

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To allow the lowering of the overtopping rate, a parapet wall with a protuberance has been introduced during
experiments. The configuration of reservoir-nose is able to reduce strongly the height of the crown wall, resulting in
significant benefits to visual impact and the average overtopping is reduced by 50–60%. The average overtopping rate
in to the OBREC reservoir has been analyzed and compared with existing prediction methods. A relatively good
estimate is obtained from the overtopping Van der Meer formula. Load time history and spatial pressure distribution are
reported to identify different behaviors of waves acting on the various part of the super structure. The sketch of OBREC
shown in fig.7.

Fig. 7 Sketch of OBREC

(Thaha et al. 2015) examines the magnitude of the wave energy that can be captured through the slope breakwater
with mechanism of overtopping into the reservoir, in order to multifunctioning the breakwater as a wave energy
converter.The sketch of breakwater as a wave energy cather shown in fig.8.

Fig. 8 Sketch of breakwater as a wave energy cather

The research was conducted by physical model simulations at the Laboratory of Coastal Engineering, Department of
Civil Engineering, Hasanuddin University. Physical model simulation 1:20 in geometric scale have been performed
under regular wave conditions to simulate six types of structure model where differ in slope and height of free-board.
The results showed an over-topping discharge (q) is significantly influenced by the parameters of the breakwater free-
board relative to the wave height (Rc/Hi), the slope of the structure (tan α) and wave steepness (Hi/Lo). The graph of
the relationship of overtopping discharge (q) with relative freeboard (Rc) from this research shown in fig.9.

Fig.9 Relationship over-topping discharge (q) with relative free-board (Rc). (Thaha et al.2015)

Fig.9 present (Thaha et al. 2015) results, that show the rate of q (overtopping discharge) with relative freeboard Rc
relation,is much larger than the Van Der Meer rate. (Thaha et al. 2015) also estimated the wave power that can be
captured by the model is about 34% on average. The graph shown in Fig.10.

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Fig. 10 The wave power availability and potentially mobilized. (Thaha et al. 2015)

The result of (Thaha et al. 2015) research, show that the research ishave a huge potential in a wave energy converter
field. Not only because the wave power estimation that can be captured from the model is quite high, but also the model
have a high economic feasibility, because the model is possible made from breakwater or coastal protection structure, so
it can have multiple function as coastal defense and also wave energy converter. The development of this research is
wide open in the future, and proposed a huge potensial to develop.

CONCLUSIONS
In general, overtopping converters have advantages that distinguish them from other devices. First of all, the
fluctuations of the energy produced by these devices are, in fact, relatively small, since the conversion takes place in
calm conditions in the reservoir where the water is temporarily stored. The implementation of these devices, then, is
associated with a higher economic feasibility. For example it is possible to combine them with other structures along the
coast, such as the conventional breakwaters for coastal defense. And more, because on the back of the devices there are
established calm conditions, it is possible to use this area to develop recreational activities such as aquaculture and
fisheries. In addition, after the production of electricity, the water is discharged through the turbine can be recirculated
in order to improve water quality, for example, in a closed door. Finally, the use of a ramp that focuses the entry of
water into the basin, makes it possible to use the devices to overflow even in coastal regions are not favorable,
characterized by a low density of wave energy. For survivability factors, the overtopping devices of WEC especially the
fixed structure (WEC breakwater based) are highly reliable during operation, and highly survivable through extreme
conditions.

REFERENCES
Bevilacqua, G., & Zanuttigh, B. (2010). Overtopping Wave Energy Converters: general aspects and stage of
development.Unknown.
Brito, S. F. (2010). Study of overtopping at coastal structures.Unknown.
Buccino, M., Stagonas, D., & Vicinanza, D. (2015). Development of a composite sea wall wave energy converter
system. Renewable Energy Elsevier, 509-522.
Drew, b., Plummer, A., & Sahinkaya, M. (2009). A review of wave energy converter technology. IMechE, (pp. 887-
902). Washington.
Lee, B., & Lee, C. (2013).Development of wave power generation device with resonance channels. International
Conference on Asian and Pacific Coasts (pp. 533-537). Bali: APAC.
Sheng, W., Alcorn, R., & Lewis, T. (2014). Physicalmodellingofwaveenergyconverters. Ocean Engineering Elsevier,
29-36.
Thaha, A., Maricar, F., Aboe, A., & Dwipuspita, A. (2015). The breakwater, from wave breaker to wave
catcher.Procedia Engineering Elsevier, 691-698.
Vicinanza, D., Contestabile, P., Nørgaard, J. Q., & Andersen, T. L. (2014). Innovative rubble mound breakwaters for
overtopping wave energy conversion. Coastal Engineering Elsevier, 154-170.