Most wave energy devices are designed to extract energy from deep water
waves. This is the most common form of wave, found when the mean depth of
the sea bedDis more than about half the wavelength. For example, an average
sea wave for power generation may be expected to have a wavelength of
∼100 m and amplitude of ∼3 m, and to behave as a deep water wave at depths
of sea bed greater than ∼30 m. Figure 12.1(a) illustrates the motion of water
particles in a deep water wave. The circular particle motion has an amplitude
that decreases exponentially with depth and becomes negligible for D > /2.
In shallower water, Figure 12.1 (b), the motion becomes elliptical and water
movement occurs against the sea bottom, producing energy dissipation.
The properties of deep water waves are distinctive, and may be summarised
as follows:
1 The surface waves are sets of unbroken sine waves of irregular wavelength,
phase and direction.
2 The motion of any particle of water is circular. Whereas the surface
form of the wave shows a definite progression, the water particles
themselves have no net progression.
3 Water on the surface remains on the surface.
4 The amplitudes of the water particle motions decrease exponentially
with depth. At a depth of /2 below the mean surface position, the
amplitude is reduced to 1/e of the surface amplitude (e = 272, base
of natural logarithms). At depths of /2 the motion is negligible, being
less than 5% of the surface motion.
5 The amplitude a of the surface wave is essentially independent of the
wavelength , velocity c or period T of the wave, and depends on
the history of the wind regimes above the surface. It is rare for the
amplitude to exceed one-tenth of the wavelength, however.
6 A wave will break into white water when the slope of the surface is
about 1 in 7, and hence dissipate energy potential.
Figure 12.1 Particle motion in water waves. (a) Deep water, circular motion of water
particles. (b) Shallow water, elliptical motion of water particles.
12.2 Wave motion 403
The formal analysis of water waves is difficult, but known; see Coulson
and Jeffrey (1977) for standard theory. For deep water waves, frictional,
surface tension and inertial forces are small compared with the two dominant
forces of gravity and circular motion. As a result, the water surface
always takes up a shape so that its tangent lies perpendicular to the resultant
of these two forces, Figure 12.2.
It is of the greatest importance to realize that there is no net motion
of water in deep water waves. Objects suspended in the water show the
motions of Figure 12.1, which contrasts deep water waves with the kinds
of motion occurring in shallower water.
A particle of water in the surface has a circular motion of radius a equal
to the amplitude of the wave (Figure 12.3). The wave height H from the
top of a crest to the bottom of a trough is twice the amplitude: H = 2a. The
angular velocity of the water particles is (radian per second). The wave
surface has a shape that progresses as a moving wave, although the water
itself does not progress. Along the direction of the wave motion the moving
shape results from the phase differences in the motion of successive particles
of water. As one particle in the crest drops to a lower position, another
particle in a forward position circles up to continue the crest shape and the
forward motion of the wave.
The resultant forces F on water surface particles of mass m are indicated
in Figure 12.4. The water surface takes up the position produced by this
resultant, so that the tangent to the surface is perpendicular to F . A particle
at the top of a crest, position P1, is thrown upwards by the centrifugal
force ma2. A moment later the particle is dropping, and the position in