Damping optimization for wave energy converters with compressible volumes.
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
The addition of a compressible degree of freedom (CDOF) to a wave energy converter (WEC)-which results in a compressible WEC-has been shown to significantly increase power absorption compared to a rigid WEC of the same shape and mass for a variety of architectures. This study demonstrates that a compressible point absorber, with a passive power-take-off (PTO) and optimized damping, can also achieve equal or better performance levels than an optimally controlled rigid point absorber (with the same shape and mass) using reactive power from the PTO. Wave energy is converted to mechanical energy in both cases using a linear damper PTO, with the PTO coefficient optimized for each resonance frequency and compressible volume. The large compressible volume required to tune the compressible point absorber to the desired frequency is a practical limitation that needs to be addressed with further research, especially for low frequencies. While realistic, these auxiliary units would increase the CapEx and OpEx costs, potentially reducing the aforementioned benefits gained by CDOF. However, alternative approaches can be developed to implement CDOF without the large compressible volume requirements, including the development of flexible surface panels tuned with mechanical springs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Wind and Water Technologies Office (EE-4W); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1431428
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2016-6552J; 644862
- Journal Information:
- Sandia journal manuscript; Not yet accepted for publication, Journal Name: Sandia journal manuscript; Not yet accepted for publication; ISSN 9999-0014
- Publisher:
- Sandia
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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