M3 Wave DMP/APEX WEC Final Technical Report

This project successfully developed methods for numerical modeling of sediment transport phenomena around rigid objects resting on or near the ocean floor. These techniques were validated with physical testing using actual sediment in a large wave tank. These methods can be applied to any nearshore structure, including wave energy devices, surge devices, and hinged flap systems. These techniques can be used to economically iterate on device geometries, lowering the cost to refine designs and reducing time to market.

The key takeaway for this project was that the most cost-effective method to reduce sediment transport impact is to avoid it altogether. By elevating device structures lightly off the seabed, sediment particles will flow under and around, ebbing and flowing naturally. This allows sediment scour and accretion to follow natural equalization processes without hydrodynamic acceleration or deceleration effects of artificial structures.

This submission includes the final technical report for this DOE project. The objective of this project was to develop a set of analysis tools (hydrodynamics and structural models providing inputs into a sediment model), and use those tools to identify and refine the optimal device geometry for the Delos-Reyes Morrow Pressure Device (DMP), commercialized by M3 Wave LLC as "APEX."