Beyond Wave Energy: Applications of the WEC-Sim Open-Source Software

Initially released in 2014, the Wave Energy Converter SIMulator (WEC-Sim) is an open-source software (OSS) originally developed for simulating wave energy converters. The software is developed in MATLAB/Simulink using the multi-body dynamics solver Simscape Multibody. WEC-Sim models floating systems that are comprised of bodies, joints, power take-off systems, and mooring systems. It can simulate both rigid bodies and flexible bodies with generalized body modes. Simulations are performed in the time-domain by solving the governing equations of motion in 6 degrees-of-freedom, plus any number of user-defined modes. Due to the open-source nature of the software, WEC-Sim is very flexible and can be adapted to many different scenarios. With over 250 publications to date that develop and apply the WEC-Sim OSS, most of which are written by external authors, innovative applications of WEC-Sim are extensive. This publication is focused on non-traditional applications of WEC-Sim, meaning applications beyond wave energy. The publication first provides an overview of WEC-Sim and its wave energy applications, then reviews the literature and highlights a selection of WEC-Sim applications beyond wave energy. These applications include floating offshore wind, hybrid energy systems, offshore operations, and more. The publication closes by suggesting future WEC-Sim development based on these non-traditional WEC-Sim applications.