A new-generation traveling-wave pump for pumped storage energy: Impacts and optimal control of dimensionless wave amplitude

In large-scale energy storage technologies such as pumped storage, the performance of the pumps is of crucial importance. Inspired by the efficient and fluctuating swimming patterns of fish, this paper proposes an innovative alternative solution called “Traveling-Wave Pump (TWP)” in an attempt to replace the traditional pumped storage technology. This device achieves water lifting and energy storage through the periodic oscillatory motion of the flexible plate within the restricted flow channel. Among them, the dimensionless wave amplitude ( a ⁎ ) is a key parameter that affects the energy conversion efficiency and power output of the TWP. Therefore, in this study, the numerical simulation method was adopted to investigate the energy transfer characteristics and hydrodynamic behavior of the TWP under different a ⁎ values. The results show that as a ⁎ increases, the energy conversion efficiency first increases and then decreases with the increase of a ⁎ . At the optimal value a ⁎ = 0.167, it reaches 90.02%, which is 13.8% higher than that at a ⁎ = 0.033. Moreover, increasing a ⁎ helps to maintain a stable instantaneous mass flow rate and output power, and reduces the fluid-solid coupling effect, thereby reducing the maximum pressure pulsation amplitude by 34.7%. • There exists an optimal dimensionless wave amplitude that maximizes the efficiency of the traveling-wave pump. • As the dimensionless wave amplitude increases, the time-averaged mass flow rate will increase, and the instantaneous fluctuations will decrease. • Increasing the dimensionless wave amplitude results in a more uniform power distribution. • Increasing the dimensionless wave amplitude reduces the interaction between the separated vortex and the wall vortex, and decreases the pressure pulsation.