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Power Take-Off Simulation for Scale Model Testing of Wave Energy Converters

Author

Listed:
  • Scott Beatty

    (Cascadia Coast Research Ltd., 26 Bastion Square, Third Floor Burnes House, Victoria, BC V8W-1H9, Canada)

  • Francesco Ferri

    (Wave Energy Research Group, Aalborg University, P.O. Box 159, Aalborg DK - 9100, Denmark)

  • Bryce Bocking

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3055, Stn. CSC, Victoria, BC V8W-3P6, Canada)

  • Jens Peter Kofoed

    (Wave Energy Research Group, Aalborg University, P.O. Box 159, Aalborg DK - 9100, Denmark)

  • Bradley Buckham

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3055, Stn. CSC, Victoria, BC V8W-3P6, Canada)

Abstract

Small scale testing in controlled environments is a key stage in the development of potential wave energy conversion technology. Furthermore, it is well known that the physical design and operational quality of the power-take off (PTO) used on the small scale model can have vast effects on the tank testing results. Passive mechanical elements such as friction brakes and air dampers or oil filled dashpots are fraught with nonlinear behaviors such as static friction, temperature dependency, and backlash, the effects of which propagate into the wave energy converter (WEC) power production data, causing very high uncertainty in the extrapolation of the tank test results to the meaningful full ocean scale. The lack of quality in PTO simulators is an identified barrier to the development of WECs worldwide. A solution to this problem is to use actively controlled actuators for PTO simulation on small scale model wave energy converters. This can be done using force (or torque)-controlled feedback systems with suitable instrumentation, enabling the PTO to exert any desired time and/or state dependent reaction force. In this paper, two working experimental PTO simulators on two different wave energy converters are described. The first implementation is on a 1:25 scale self-reacting point absorber wave energy converter with optimum reactive control. The real-time control system, described in detail, is implemented in LabVIEW. The second implementation is on a 1:20 scale single body point absorber under model-predictive control, implemented with a real-time controller in MATLAB/Simulink. Details on the physical hardware, software, and feedback control methods, as well as results, are described for each PTO. Lastly, both sets of real-time control code are to be web-hosted, free for download, modified and used by other researchers and WEC developers.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott Beatty & Francesco Ferri & Bryce Bocking & Jens Peter Kofoed & Bradley Buckham, 2017. "Power Take-Off Simulation for Scale Model Testing of Wave Energy Converters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:7:p:973-:d:104294
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Liang Shangguan & Kuan Lu & Huamei Wang, 2023. "Research on Laboratory Test Method of Wave Energy Converter Wave-Wire Conversion Ratio in Irregular Waves," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, January.
    2. Simon Thomas & Marianna Giassi & Malin Göteman & Martyn Hann & Edward Ransley & Jan Isberg & Jens Engström, 2018. "Performance of a Direct-Driven Wave Energy Point Absorber with High Inertia Rotatory Power Take-off," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Yadong Wen & Weijun Wang & Hua Liu & Longbo Mao & Hongju Mi & Wenqiang Wang & Guoping Zhang, 2018. "A Shape Optimization Method of a Specified Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter for the South China Sea," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Luca Martinelli & Matteo Volpato & Chiara Favaretto & Piero Ruol, 2019. "Hydraulic Experiments on a Small-Scale Wave Energy Converter with an Unconventional Dummy Pto," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-12, March.
    5. Bubbar, K. & Buckham, B., 2018. "On establishing an analytical power capture limit for self-reacting point absorber wave energy converters based on dynamic response," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 324-338.
    6. Robertson, Bryson & Bailey, Helen & Leary, Matthew & Buckham, Bradley, 2021. "A methodology for architecture agnostic and time flexible representations of wave energy converter performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    7. Wu, Jinming & Yao, Yingxue & Zhou, Liang & Göteman, Malin, 2018. "Real-time latching control strategies for the solo Duck wave energy converter in irregular waves," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 717-728.
    8. Amélie Têtu & Francesco Ferri & Morten Bech Kramer & Jørgen Hals Todalshaug, 2018. "Physical and Mathematical Modeling of a Wave Energy Converter Equipped with a Negative Spring Mechanism for Phase Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-23, September.
    9. Penalba, Markel & Davidson, Josh & Windt, Christian & Ringwood, John V., 2018. "A high-fidelity wave-to-wire simulation platform for wave energy converters: Coupled numerical wave tank and power take-off models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 655-669.

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