Harvesting energy from ocean currents: A vortex induced motion energy conversion system
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PUBLIC SUMMARY
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A novel VIM device harvests energy from water currents using fluid–structure interaction.
CFD simulations and experiments validate reliable performance across flow conditions.
The system works efficiently even near walls, enabling flexible seabed deployment.
Optimized damping improves energy conversion efficiency significantly.
Competitive LCOE shows strong potential for coastal and river renewable energy use.
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ABSTRACT
Hydrokinetic energy harvesting represents a promising direction for sustainable renewable energy generation, leveraging complex fluid-structure interaction (FSI) phenomena to convert water current kinetic energy into electrical power. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of a novel Vortex-Induced Motion (VIM) energy converter designed to maximize power extraction from marine and riverine environments. The research methodology integrates advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling with rigorous experimental validation to ensure reliable performance characterization. A CFD model is developed to simulate fluid-structure interactions under diverse hydrodynamic conditions. Experimental verification is conducted through towing tank experiments, enabling robust model calibration and performance assessment. Key findings demonstrate the concept is capable of operating under a wide range of flow velocities, with numerical results confirming minimal performance degradation in near-wall configurations. This characteristic suggests significant potential for seabed deployment across varied marine infrastructures. A detailed parametric analysis systematically evaluates damping configurations, identifying optimal parameters for maximizing energy conversion efficiency. Economic feasibility analysis reveals competitive levelized cost of energy (LCOE) metrics, positioning the proposed energy converter concept as a technically and economically viable renewable energy solution for remote coastal and riverine applications. -
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REFERENCES
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Cite this article:
Ong M. and Janocha M. (2026). Harvesting energy from ocean currents: A vortex induced motion energy conversion system. The Innovation Energy 3:100153. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2026.100153
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Ong M. and Janocha M. (2026). Harvesting energy from ocean currents: A vortex induced motion energy conversion system. The Innovation Energy 3:100153. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2026.100153
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Figure 1.
(A) & (B) Overview of the VIMEC device concept
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Figure 2.
(A) Schematic diagram of the computational domain and imposed boundary conditions and (B) an overview of the computational mesh.
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Figure 3.
Comparison of the present numerical results with the present experimental test data.
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Figure 4.
Effect of damping (PTO load) on hydrodynamic response of the oscillator.
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Figure 5.
Effect of damping (PTO load) on the time averaged mechanical power production.
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Figure 6.
Effect of bottom boundary layer thickness on hydrodynamic response of the oscillator.
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Figure 7.
Results of Monte Carlo simulations and resulting LCOE distribution (Model parameters detailed in Table S5).
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Figure 8.
Stochastic Monte Carlo analysis parameter correlation with predicted LCOE.
