• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.17-52
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• 2024

In this paper, the authors explore the modeling and control of a point absorber wave energy converter, which is connected to the electric grid via a power converter that is based on a linear permanent magnet synchronous generator (LPMSG). The device utilizes a buoyant mechanism to convert the energy of ocean waves into electrical power, and the LPMSG-based power converter is utilized to change the variable frequency and voltage output from the wave energy converter to a fixed frequency and voltage suitable for the electric grid. The article concentrates on the creation of a predictive control system that regulates the speed, voltage, and current of the LPMSG, and the modeling of the system to simulate its behavior and optimize its design. The predictive model control is created to guarantee maximum energy output and stable grid connection, using Matlab Simulink to validate the proposed strategy, including control side generator and predictive current grid-side converter loops.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.167.2-167.2
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• 2011

Motions in nature, for example ocean wave, has been playing a significant role for generating electricity production in our modern life. This paper presents an innovative approach for electric power conversion of the vast ocean wave energy. Here, a floating-buoy wave energy converter (WEC) using hydrostatic transmission (HST), which is shortened as HSTWEC, is proposed and designed to enhance the wave energy harvesting task during all wave fluctuations. In this HSTWEC structure, the power take-off system (PTO) is a combination of the designed HST circuit and an electric generator to convert mechanical energy generated by ocean wave into electrical energy. Several design concepts of the HSTWEC have been considered in this study for an adequate investigation. Modeling and simulations using MATLAB/Simulink and AMESim are then carried out to evaluate these design concepts to find out the best solution. In addition, an adaptive controller is designed for improving the HSTWEC performance. The effectiveness of the proposed HSTWEC control system is finally proved by numerical simulations.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.222-228
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• 2016

Almost 70% of the earth is covered by the ocean. Extracting the power available in the ocean using a wave energy converter has been seen to be eco-friendly and renewable. This study focuses on developing a method for analyzing a wave energy device that uses a cross-flow turbine. The motion of the ocean wave causes an internal bi-directional flow of water and the cross-flow turbine is able to rotate in one direction. This device is considered of double-hull structure, and because of this structure, sea water does not come into contact with theturbine. Due to this, the problem of befouling on the turbine is avoided. This study shows specific relationship for wave length and several motions.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 2014

Declutching control is applied to a hemispherical wave energy converter with direct linear electric Power-Take-Off systems oscillating in heave direction in both regular and irregular waves. The direct linear Power-Take-Off system can be simplified as a mechanical spring and damper system. Time domain model is applied to dynamics of the hemispherical wave energy converter in both regular and irregular waves. And state space model is used to replace the convolution term in time domain equation of the heave oscillation of the converter due to its inconvenience in analyzing the controlled motion of the converters. The declutching control strategy is conducted by optimal command theory based on Pontryagin's maximum principle to gain the controlled optimum sequence of Power-Take-Off forces. The results show that the wave energy converter with declutching control captures more energy than that without control and the former's amplitude and velocity is relatively larger. However, the amplification ratio of the absorbed power by declutching control is only slightly larger than 1. This may indicate that declutching control method may be inapplicable for oscillating wave energy converters with direct linear Power-Take-Off systems in real random sea state, considering the error of prediction of the wave excitation force.

• International Journal of Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.275-279
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• 2011

In this paper, an observer-based sampled-data controller of linear system is proposed for the wave energy converter. Based on the sampled-data observer, the controller is design. In the closed-loop system with controller, it obtains the norm inequality between the continuous-time state variable and the discrete-time one. Using the norm inequality, sufficient condition is derived for the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system and formulated in terms of linear matrix inequality. Finally, the wave energy converter simulation is provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.552-558
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• 2011

A 50 kW class rotating body type wave energy converter consisted of two floating bodies and a PTO (Power Takeoff) unit is studied. As an wave energy extractor, the body is designed to have a VLCO (Variable Liquid-Column Oscillator) having a liquid filled U-tube with air chambers. Owing to the oscillation of the liquid in the U-tube caused by the air spring effect of the air chambers, the amplitude of response of the VLCO becomes significantly amplified for a target wave period. The PTO converts the rotational moment introduced from the relative motion of the hinged bodies to an hydraulic power by means of a cylinder. A high pressure accumulator, hydraulic motor and a generator are equipped in the PTO to convert the hydraulic power to electric power. A control law for adjusting the oscillation period of the VLCO is proposed for the efficient operation of the VLCO with various wave conditions. It is found that the effect of the air spring has an important role to play in making the oscillation of the VLCO match with the ocean wave. In this way, the wave energy converter equipped with the VLCO provides the most effective mode for extracting energy from the ocean wave.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2022

In this paper, a pitch-type wave energy converter (WEC-rotor) is investigated in irregular wave conditions for the real sea testing at the west coast of Jeju Island, South Korea. The present research builds on and extends our previous work on regular waves to irregular waves. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the WEC-rotor are assessed by establishing a quasi-two-dimensional numerical wave tank using computational fluid dynamics by solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation. The numerical solution is validated with physical experiments, and the comparison shows good agreement. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic performance of the WEC-rotor is explored by investigating the effect of the power take-off (PTO) loading torque by one-way and two-way systems, the wave height, the wave period, operational and high sea wave conditions. Irrespective of the sea wave conditions, the absorbed power is quadratic in nature with the one-way and two-way PTO loading systems. The power absorption increases with the wave height, and the increment is rapid and mild in the two-way and one-way PTO loading torques, respectively. The pitch response amplitude operator increases as the wave period increases until the maximum value and then decreases. For a fixed PTO loading, the power and efficiency are higher in the two-way PTO loading system than in the one-way PTO loading system at different wave periods.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.25-35
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• 2015

The hydraulic power-take-off mechanism (HPTO) is one of the most popular methods in wave energy converters (WECs). However, the conventional HPTO with only one direction motion has a number of drawbacks that limit its power capture capability. This paper proposes an adjustable moving angle wave energy converter (AMAWEC) and investigates the effect of the moving angle on the performance of the wave energy converter to find the optimal moving angle in order to increase the power capture capability as well as energy efficiency. A mathematical model of components from a floating buoy to a hydraulic motor was modeled. A small scale WEC test rig was fabricated to verify the power capture capability and efficiency of the proposed system through experiments.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.710-720
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• 2016

The Floating Wave Energy Convertor (FWEC) mooring design has an important requirement associated with the fact that, for a wave energy converter, the mooring connections may interact with their oscillations, possibly modifying its energy absorption significantly. It is therefore important to investigate what might be the most suitable mooring design according to the converter specifications and take into account the demands placed on the moorings in order to assure their survivability. The objective of this study is to identify a computational fluid dynamics method for investigating the effects of coupling a wave energy device with a mooring system. Using the commercial software ANSYS AQWA and ANSYS FLUENT, a configuration was studied for different displacements from the equilibrium position, load demands on the moorings, and internal fluid motion. These results and findings form a basis for future efforts in computational model development, design refinement, and investigation of station keeping for FWEC units.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.280-294
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• 2022

This study reviews the recent development and research results of a fixed oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter (WEC). The OWC WEC can be divided into fixed and floating types based on the installation location and movement of the structure. In this article, the study on a stationary OWC WEC, which is close to commercialization through the accumulation of long-term research achievements, is divided into five research categories with a focus on primary energy conversion research. These research categories include potential-flow-based numerical analysis, wave tank experiments, computational fluid dynamics analyses toward investigation of fluid viscous effects, U-shaped OWC studies that can amplify water surface displacement in the OWC chamber, and studies on OWC prototypes that have been installed and operated in real sea environments. This review will provide an overview of recent research on the stationary OWC WEC and basic information for further detailed studies on the OWC.