A small scale field experiment on a U-OWC (REWEC3)

A small scale field experiment on the newly established Oscillating Water Column (OWC) wave energy converter, named U-OWC or Resonant Wave Energy Converter 3 (REWEC3), is performed at the Natural Ocean Engineering Laboratory (NOEL) of the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria (Italy). The paper aims at disseminating the expected performance of an U-OWC embodying a monoplane Wells turbine. The U-OWC is exposed to natural sea waves with the peculiarity of being wind-generated waves in a Froude similarity with either Mediterranean or Ocean waves. In this context, the power converted by the turbine and the mean energy converted during a certain sea state are quantified.