Performance of an oscillating water column wave energy converter device under random ocean waves and ocean currents.

This article investigates the hydrodynamic performance of an onshore oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter (WEC) device placed over an undulated seabed, focusing on the effects of combined irregular wave and ocean current interactions. Using classical linear water wave theory and a constant boundary element method (BEM), the study models wave–current interactions incorporating Doppler shift phenomena and employs the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) spectrum to represent realistic sea states. Results demonstrate that ocean currents notably influence the device’s resonant efficiency and horizontal wave forces, with following currents enhancing efficiency via frequency shifts, while opposing currents induce wave breaking and reduce performance. The study further shows that structural parameters such as chamber width and submergence depth significantly affect air pressure fluctuations and mean efficiency, and that undulated seabed topography can improve device efficiency by up to 10% compared to flat bottoms. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for wave–current interactions and seabed variations in the design and optimization of OWC devices for renewable wave energy extraction in nearshore environments.