FLEXIBLE SEA FLOOR CARPET WAVE ENERGY CONVERTOR AND ITS PERFORMANCE IN PERSIAN GULF

Gade, 1958 reports a place in the Gulf of Mexico known to locals as mud hole [1] where accretion of mud banks is considerable during storms (Figure 1),. Within the mud hole the interaction of surface waves with the mud is very strong such that waves completely damped out within a few wavelengths [2]. Observations of strong wave damping due to the coupling with the bottom mud are not limited to the gulf, but almost anywhere with a muddy seafloor. Inspired by the natural phenomenon of strong attenuation of oceanic surface waves by muddy seafloors, a mud-resembling synthetic compliant seabed carpet known as Wave Carpet, was proposed composed of linear springs and generators that can be used as an efficient wave energy conversion device. The presented wave energy conversion device is completely under the water surface. The carpet is survivable against high momentum of storm surges and in fact can perform even better under very energetic (e.g. stormy) sea conditions, when most existing wave energy devices are needed to shelter themselves by going into an idle mode. The proposed idea and its variations may also be used to create localized safe havens for fishermen and sailors in open seas, or if implemented in large scales to protect shores and harbors against strong storm waves.