PROCEEDINGS OF UNIVERSITY

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FRI-9.3-1-THPE-03

ON THE UTILIZATION OF THE WIND WAVES ENERGY

ALONG THE BULGARIAN BLACK SEA COAST

Assoc. Prof. Detelin Markov, PhD, MSc Eng

Department of Hydroaerodynamics and hydraulic machines,
Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel.: +359 888 220 310
E-mail: [email protected]

Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Valchev, PhD, MSc

Department of Coastal zone dynamics,
Institute of Oceanology, BAS, Bulgaria
Рhone: +359 897 868 556
Е-mail: [email protected]

Assoc. Prof. Rositsa Velichkova, PhD, MSc Eng

Department of Hydroaerodynamics and hydraulic machines,
Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria
Рhone: +359 895 586 069
Е-mail: [email protected]

Assist. Prof. Iskra Simova, MSc Eng

Department of Hydroaerodynamics and Hydraulic Machines,
Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel.: _359 2 965 3305
E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This paper investigates the possibilities for utilisation of the wind waves energy in the exclusive
economic zone of Bulgaria in Black sea by water turbines with oscilating blades. Information about the wave climate in
this zone is obtained by analysis of the published results about offshore wave energy based on long-term hindcast and
studies on wave exposure of Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Keywords: Water turbine with oscilating blades, Wave energy, Energy conversion.

INTRODUCTION
There are two groups of energy inputs to the geobioshpere: external (renewable) and internal
(non-renewable). The main external inputs to the geobiosphere, as they existed before the
development of civilization (Odum 2000) include: the solar energy with a total amount of 3.93x1024
J/year (in terms of power - 124619.482 TW), the heat energy from the deep earth - 6.72x1020 J/year
(21.309 TW), and the tidal energy - 0.52x1020 J/year (1.649 TW). There are some other external
energy inputs to the geobioshere from the space such as the high energy radiation of solar flares,
cosmic rays, meteorites and stellar dust that vary with oscillations and pulses but their contribution
to the global energy budget may be neglected (Odum 2000). Through various processes in the
atmosphere and in the ocean these three main external energy inputs generate secondary renewable
energy sources (atmospheric processes – winds, ocean processes – ocean circulation, jet currents)
and tertiary one (ocean processes – wind waves) (Odum 2000).
The wind wave energy resource can be defined in different ways (Mørk 2010): the theoretical
resource is the actual hydrodynamic power contained in the waves; the technical resource is the
power that can be produced by WECs (Wave Energy Converters); the accessible resource is the
power that can be produced in an area/region by a WEC.
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When calculating the emergy of the products of the global energy system Odum (2000) uses
the figure Ew=3.4x1020 J/year for the global energy potential of wind waves reaching the shore
based on an estimation done in 1965. According to it the theoretical global (gross) wave power
resource is 9.79 TW. It is greater than the world total primary energy supply (TPES) for 1973 of
6101 Mtoe (IEA 2017), which in terms of yearly averaged power supply is equal to 8.1 TW.
Mørk et al (2010) provides a new estimation of 3.702 TW for the theoretical global wave
power resorce, which is limited to deep water off the coastlines bounding each ocean basin but
including the coastlines of Baltic Sea and Mediterranian Sea. The coastlines of the internal seas
were a priori excluded from this estimation due to the very low level of wave power (≤ 5 kW/m of
the wave front) making it practically unusable. Furthermore, when zones along which the wave
power level is below 5 kW/m are subtracted from the length of the coaslines on which the above
mentioned estimation is based the theoretical wave power resource decreases to 3.475 TW. If in
addition from the above estimation are excluded all locations, which at certain times of the year
may experience ice coverage, then the theoretical wave power resource decreases to 2.985 TW
(Mørk et al, 2010).
According to (IEA, 2017) world electricity generation for 2015, was 24255 TWh that
corresponds to yearly averaged power of 2.769 TW. This means that the theoretical global wave
power resource slightly exceeds the world consumption of electricity for 2015. However, the
accessible wave power resource, i.e. the electricity that could be generated by a WEC (Wave
Energy Converter) machine in a certain area, which is characterized by the wave-to-wire (overall)
efficiency, is far below the theoretical wave power resource. Usually the overall efficiency of a
WEC is lower than 60%. WEC overall efficiency depends on many technical specifications of
hydrodynamic and power takeoff subsystems as well as on the wave climate that exibits significant
short term, monthly, seasonal, and interannual variation.
The principal goal of this paper is to evaluate accessible wave power resource in the EEZ of
Bulgarian part of the Black Sea by WECs using water turbine with osscilating blades (WTOB) as a
power takeoff (PTO) subsystem.

EXPOSITION
Water turbine with oscillating blades (WTOB)
The WTOB has been recently invented at the Department of Hydroaerodyamics and hydraulic
machines in the Technical University of Sofia (Agontsev 2017) and is still under investigation and
improvement (Velichkova 2017). The construction of the runner blades, which can oscillate around
its horizontal axis, allows converting the relative to the turbine runner vertical reciprocating motion
of sea water into unidirectional rotary motion of the vertical turbine shaft (Agontsev et al, 2017).
Expected mechanical efficiency of WTOB was estimated to 35 % (Velichkova, 2017). Although
WTOB is intended to work primarily with a vertical shaft, it may work properly with inclined and
even with a horizontal shaft. It may be used as PTO subsystem of several WEC machines.
WTOB can be used for construction of WECs based on the Osscilating water column (OWC)
concept. In this case WTOB can be used either separately or in combination with an air turbine
(unidirectional or Wells). The hydrodynamic subsystem of the WEC can be part of engineering
sturctures that protect the coastline from erosion located both onshore (sea walls, groynes) and
nearshore (e.g. organized in floating farms). Additionally, WTOBs can be part of a power supply
system located on offshore platforms. Expected capture width ratio (η1) of a WEC machine based
on the OWC application of a WTOB is estimated to be 85%. In this case the expected wave-to-wire
WEC efficiency would be around 29%.
Moreover, WTOB can be part of WECs applying the Point absorber (PA) concept. In this case
the WEC must be located in deep water, i.e in areas where the wavelength (λ) is significantly
smaller than the water depth (d) λ<<d. Expected capture width ratio (η1) of a WEC machine based
on the PA application of a WTOB is estimated to be 70%, so the wave-to-wire WEC efficiency
would be around 24%.

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Wind wave properties

Wind waves are generted on the free surface of every water body under the action of wind
blowing over that surface. Once generated, even if there is no wind energy input, the wind waves
may travel for very large distances, with virtually no loss of energy, until they reach the shore.
Wind waves carry energy, which if not dicipated/attenuated or utilized can causes beach or cliff
erosion and even washing out of unprotected shoreline. Hence, besides production of electricity,
there is another benefit from the utilization of the wind wave energy – protection of the shoreline
from erosion. Since shore protection is of high priority, it is possible coastal protection structures,
such as seawalls or groynes to be combined with onshore WECs even when wind wave power
resource is small (lower than 5 kW/m). Shore protection can be achieved by locating WECs in the
nearshore areas as well. In this case WECs should be orginesed in farms in such way that the degree
of achieved wave attenuation is acceptable..
The waves propagating in a certain water area at a given moment of time (sea state) can be
generated by the action of wind blowing over that area at the same time point or, as in the case of
swell, they may be generated elsewhere some time ago. Hence, the sea state properties have a
random nature. The waves in a sea state may differ in shape, height, frequency, and direction of
propagation. Wind waves can be described as a stochastic process, in combination with the physics
governing their generation, growth, propagation and decay. For description of the wave climate in a
certain area, temporal, directional and spectral characteristics are used, which are preconditioned by
the wave spectrum of the individual sea states.
The theoretical power resource of the wind waves in deep water location may be calculated by
the expression, (Akpinar at el. 2017):
(1)

where ρ is sea water density; g – acceleration of gravity; – directional wave variance density
spectrum; – wave group velocity; ω – wave frequency; θ – direction of propagation of a
spectral component; d – water depth.
For the locations where water depth is greater than the half of wavelength (λx), i.e. ,
from expression (1) one may obtain
(2)

with – significant wave height and –wave energy period.

The moment of is calculated by
(3)

When the zero-crossing period Tz ( ) and the root mean squared wave
height are used relation (2) takes the form
(4)

Annual energy production (AEP) by a WEC in kWh can be roughly estimated by the relation
(5)
where A is WEC annual availability (-); – mean wave power (kW/m); – width of WEC
absorber (m); – wave-to-wire (overall) WEC efficiency (-).

Wind wave characteristics in Bulgarian Black Sea exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
Many scientists from all countries surrounding Black Sea have performed numerical studies
of the wave climate, including storm events. Among all those studies, those published by Akpinar et
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al. (2017), Rusu et al. (2017) and Valchev et al. (2012, 2013, and 2014) meet the most the needs of
the present research. The results reported in these studies are obtained by hincasting, i.e numerical
wave modeling forced with historical data of atmospheric fields – wind, atmospheric pressure and
temperature. Wave simulations are done for different periods within a domain covering the entire
Black Sea, including Azov Sea. The above mentioned studies provide data for both spatial analysis
of wave climate in Black Sea (contour plots of the investigated properties over the entire
computational domain) and point analysis (detailed data for selected locations). In Valchev et al.
(2012 and 2013) wave results are reported in terms of Hrms and Tz, while Akpinar et al. (2017) and
Rusu et al. (2017) provide data about Hm,0 and Te.
Data for point analysis of wave climate in Bulgarian EEZ of Black Sea extracted from the
above mentioned studies are presented in Fig. 1 and in Table 1. In

Extremely exposed
NE
Very exposed 2
Very exposed 1

ENE

NE

Fig. 1. Wave climate at selected shore units on Bulgarian Black Sea coastline
and at selected points in Bulgarian EEZ of Black Sea

Fig. 1 represens a map of Bulgarian Black Sea litoral with part of Bulgarian EEZ in Black
Sea, prepared in Google Earth, on which are shown the points (BG01-BG08) for wich there are
detailed data about the wave climate found in the sources referred to in Table 1. In Fig. 1 with color
lines are marked, after (Valchev et al. 2014), the shore units from Bulgarian Black Sea coast which
are extremely exposed (EE) and very exposed (VE) to the action of strong winds and large waves.
Predominant wind directions for the marked shore units are denoted with white arrows. Based on
the wind data for the period [2000-2012] at the marked shore units in the northen part of Bulgarian
coast Valchev et al (2014) reports maximum wind velocity in the interval [19, 20] m/s and
maximum significant wave height in the interval [9, 10] m. At the marked shore units in the middle
part of Bulgaria these figures are [19, 20] m/s and [8, 9] m, respectively. At the marked shore units
in the south part of Bulgaria these figures are [20, 22] m/s and [9, 11] m, respectively.
Contour plots of theoretical wave power resource distribution in the Bulgarian EEZ of Black
Sea are presented in Fig. 2. Using eq. (5) it is estimated that AEP, of a WEC (based on the OWC
concept) equipped with a 1m diameter runner WTOB and constructed onshore in the northen part of
Bulgarian coastline with availability of 93.2 % would be 4023 kWh electricity per year. Under the

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same conditions in case it is constructed in the middle part of Bulgarian coastline the AEP would be
3550 kWh, while in the south part of Bulgaria it would be 4260 kWh.

Table 1 Wave climate and AEP at selected points in Bulgarian EEZ of Black Sea
Point analysis Coordinates d Sds Period Pyear COV SV MV AEP
ID Source Point Longitude Latitude m km years kW/m - - - kWh
BG-01 Valchev 2012 A N 43.167o E 28.300o 35 23.79 1948 2006 59 1.150 NE NE NE 4351.97
BG-02 Valchev 2012 B N 42.500o E 27.800o 35 11.75 1948 2006 59 1.120 NE NE NE 4238.44
o o
BG-03 Valchev 2013 2 N 43.000 E 28.500 91 47.63 1948 2006 59 1.796 NE NE NE 6796.64
BG-03 Akpinar 2017 DCS N 43.000o E 28.500o 91 47.63 1979 2009 31 4.300 2.50 1.5 1.8 16272.58
BG-04 Akpinar 2017 BR N 42.000o E 28.500o 91 38.60 1979 2009 31 5.000 2.60 1.5 1.8 18921.60
BG-05 Rusu 2017 P4 N 43.190o E 28.350o 50 21.59 1997 2016 20 2.480 2.67 1.3 1.5 9385.11
BG-06 Rusu 2017 P5 N 42.430o E 27.960o 50 19.42 1997 2016 20 2.680 3.14 1.2 1.5 10141.98
BG-07 Rusu 2017 P13 N 43.300o E 28.830o 100 27.64 1997 2016 20 3.530 2.74 1.5 1.5 13358.65
BG-08 Rusu 2017 P14 N 42.850o E 28.380o 100 39.02 1997 2016 20 3.310 2.93 1.5 1.5 12526.10

Fig. 2. Theoretical wave power resource (in kW/m) in Bulgarian EEZ of Black Sea
for the period 2000 – 2012 (after Valchev et al. 2014)

Let us estimate the maximum effect of the utilisation of the wave energy resource at the
Bulgarian Black Sea coast on the electricity market. For this purpose it is constructed the following
hypothetical situation. Firstly, let us assume that the theoretical wave power resource on the entire
Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, with a total length of 378 km, is the same as at the one marked for the
south part of the coast (Fig. 1). Secondly, let us assume that the entire Black Sea coastline of
Bulgaria is protected by a sea wall on which 378000 WECs are incorporated. Each WEC is based
on the OWC concept and is equipped with 1 m diameter runner WTOB with and the availability of
each WEC is 93.2 %. The maximum possible annual electricity that could be generated under this

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hypothetical situation is 1610.1 GWh. This figure is equal to 4.75 % of the net electricity
consumption in Bulgaria for 2016. Obviously, the power that can be extracted from the wind waves
at Bulgarian Black Sea coast would be much lower and energy production is not feasible.
In Table 1 Sds is the shortest length between the point of interest and Bulgarian Black Sea
coastline, Pyear is yearly averaged wave power resource for the entire period. For better
understanding of temporal variability of wind climate at each point in Table 1 is presented
information about the Coefficienct of Variation (COV), Seasonal Variability (SV) and Monthly
variability of wave power resource there, calculated for the entire period covered by the study. The
lower are the values of these temporal variability indece characteristics the more appropriate is a
site for location of a WEC. COV is defined as follows, (Rusu et al. 2017):

(6)

Monthly Variability (MV) and Seasonal Variability (SV) of wave power resorce at the point
of interest for the entire period are defined as follows, (Rusu et al. 2017):
(7)

(8)

Pmax,M/Pmax,S and Pmin,M/Pmin,S are the most energetic month/season and the less energetic
month/season during the entire period covered by the study. The winter season includes December
of the previous year and January and February of the current year. Spring months are March, April
and May, summer months are June, July and August, and autumn months are September, October
and November.
AEP values presented in Table 1 are calculated for a WEC based on PA concept realized by
WTOB with 2m diameter of the runner and availability of 90%.

CONCLUSION
The accessible wave power resource at 8 points in Bulgarian EEZ of Black Sea was evaluated
based on the application of a WEC realising/using PA concept with a WTOB with 2 m diameter of
the runner used as PTO subsystem. Accessibale wave power resource at the extrimely and very
exposed parts of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast was evaluated based on the application of a WEC
realising/using OWC concept with a WTOB with 1 m diameter of the runner used as PTO
subsystem. It is concluded that construction of WECs on Bulgarian Black Sea coastline with the
purpose to cover electricity demand is not feasible. However, it is feasible to incorporate WECs in
the existing and planned for construction sea walls and groynes used for shore protection from wave
action, since in the case of WTOB as a PTO subsystem the reaction subsystem, which is more than
half of the investment,will be available.

REFERENCES
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