Study of Dissipating of Wave Energy in the Breakers Zone of the Gulf of Guinea: Case of Autonomous Port of Cotonou in Benin Coastal Zone

Abstract

Rapid population growth and major trends of world economy growth have led to significant energy needs in our country. Benin, Gulf of Guinea country, although with a significant coastal network powered by potential energy from breaking waves, has experienced a deficit and a critical energy instability, marked by recurrent power cuts and disruption of the national economy. To ensure the integration of this source of renewable energy in the Benin energy mix and sustainably reduce the energy deficit in progress, this work has aimed to study the dissipation of wave energy at the bathymetric breaking in the breakers zone of Cotonou coast. Sea conditions and the statistics parameters of the breaking waves under perturbation effect of the seabed were evaluated to predict the beginning of the breaking. The modeling is based on the Navier-Stokes equation in which the viscosity and the interactions between the molecules of the oceanic fluid are neglected. The nonlinear wave dispersion relation is also used. The results obtained for this purpose showed that water particles have an almost parabolic motion during their fall; their velocity is higher than those of the early breaking. In this area, the waves dissipate about 80% of their energy: it generates turbulence which leads to a strong setting in motion of sediments.