Design, modeling, and simulation of Archimedes Wave Swing technology for renewable powering of seawater desalination plants in Dakhla City, Moroccan Atlantic coast

Abstract

• First study to model and optimize Archimedes Wave Swing (AWS) technology for Morocco’s Atlantic coast, leveraging Dakhla’s untapped wave energy (36 kW/m) to power desalination. • Addresses dual crises of water scarcity and energy access in developing nations, aligning with SDG 6 (Clean Water) and SDG 7 (Affordable Energy). • Proposes a standalone or hybrid (wave+solar/wind) system to decarbonize desalination, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. • Offers a replicable blueprint for remote coastal areas in Africa and beyond, enhancing climate resilience and energy equity. • Develops a validated model to optimize AWS performance under low-frequency Atlantic swells (T=8 s), overcoming efficiency challenges in oscillating systems. • Provides actionable design guidelines for wave energy converters in developing economies with similar wave climates. • Demonstrates a lab-scale prototype achieving 0.660 mW/cm³ power density unprecedented for small-scale AWS systems in low-energy wave conditions. • Proves feasibility for modular deployment, critical for cost-effective scaling in resource-limited settings. • Identifies Morocco as a hub for AWS technology transfer to other Atlantic African nations (e.g., Senegal, Namibia). • Supports South-South collaboration in renewable energy, a priority for ESD, while addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals. Morocco’s increasing dependence on seawater desalination to address chronic water scarcity demands sustainable energy solutions capable of operating in coastal environments. This study investigates the feasibility of using an Archimedes Wave Swing (AWS) device as a renewable power source for desalination stations, with a case study in the wave-rich region of Dakhla. An analytical model was developed to describe the hydrodynamic, hydraulic, and electromechanical behavior of the system, and was validated through simulations. The proposed configuration, based on a scaled prototype, achieved a stable electrical output of 520 mW for the modeled dimensions, corresponding to a power density of 0.660 mW/cm³ under representative wave conditions (H = 3 m, T = 8 s). Parametric analysis highlighted the influence of wave frequency, stiffness, and damping on float displacement and power conversion, revealing an optimal frequency range where energy capture is maximized. These results demonstrate the system’s adaptability to Moroccan wave climates and its potential to power modular desalination units, with future work focusing on scaling strategies to meet the demands of full-scale desalination plants.