Review of Recent WEC-Sim (v6.1) Advanced Features

WEC-Sim (Wave Energy Converter SIMulator) is an opensource software for modeling the motions, loads and power generation of wave energy converters. WEC-Sim performs simulations in the time domain using hydrodynamic coefficients calculated by boundary element method (BEM) frequency-domain potential flow solvers such as WAMIT, NEMOH, Capytaine, or Ansys AQWA. WEC-Sim development is ongoing, including various features, applications, and example cases used to demonstrate potential use-cases to meet the needs of the growing marine energy industry. Through input from a broad user base and an extensive team of developers and collaborators, new features of WEC-Sim are developed to expand the software's use cases and improve overall functionality. Three new WEC-Sim features highlighted in this paper include updating WEC-Sim to be compatible with MoorDyn Version 2, incorporation of second order excitation loads (quadratic transfer functions) and allowing for dynamically changing hydrodynamics.. Authors: Grasberger, Jeff [Sandia National Laboratories]; Shabara, Mohamed [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)]; Keester, Adam [Sandia National Laboratories]; Ruehl, Kelley [Sandia National Laboratories]; Forbush, Dominic [Sandia National Laboratories]. DOE Contract: AC36-08GO28308. Subjects: 13 HYDRO ENERGY; 16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER; hydrodynamics; linear potential flow theory; moorings; wave energy conversion