Research on energy conversion system of floating wave energy converter

A wave power device includes an energy harvesting system and a power take-off system. The power take-off system of a floating wave energy device is the key that converts wave energy into other forms. A set of hydraulic power take-off system, which suits for the floating wave energy devices, includes hydraulic system and power generation system. The hydraulic control system uses a special“self-hydraulic control system”to control hydraulic system to release or save energy under the maximum and the minimum pressures. The maximum pressure is enhanced to 23 MPa, the minimum to 9 MPa. Quite a few experiments show that the recent hydraulic system is evidently improved in efficiency and reliability than our previous one, that is expected to be great significant in the research and development of our prototype about wave energy conversion.     

非线性铰接浮体波能转换器的动力学特性研究

针对传统铰接浮体波能转换器捕获效率低、频带窄的瓶颈,提出一种新型高效波能捕获仿生非线性连接结构。该连接结构具有转动负刚度效应,可起到被动相位控制作用,提高系统的波能捕获效率。首先,基于海蛇脊柱骨结构的柔性约束机理,设计了一种高效波浪能捕获仿生连接结构,该结构由球窝结构、球头、翅状突出物和类肌肉柔性结构组成;其次,基于线性波浪理论和Cummins 方程,建立两模块非线性波能转换器的动力学模型,并采用谐波平衡法解析求解非线性控制方程;最后,开展了数值模拟研究,分析了规则波激励下该新型波能转换器的波能转换特性。结果表明：通过引入新型高效仿生连接结构,可有效降低系统的等效固有频率;当连接器的负刚度结构调整到合适参数时,系统的弹性力可以在纵摇相平面上形成一个椭圆势阱,其椭圆势阱的长轴接近铰接浮体系统相对纵摇运动的模态方向,由此驱动两个模块的相对纵摇运动趋于反相,起到被动相位控制的作用。     

一种浮摆式波能发电装置摆板运动响应的数值模拟

海况是影响波浪能发电装置运行效率的因素之一。以浮摆式波能发电装置为基础,描述了其中摆板系统的收集原理;并基于AQWA(advanced quantitive wave analysis)水动力学计算软件,仿真计算了三种波况下各摆板的运动响应,发现波向为45°角是摆板系统的最佳运行角度;当波高不超过0.6 m时,摆板的运动状态较易趋于平衡。另外,提出了一种估算摆板采集波能的平均转换效率的方法,并基于相关拟合函数软件,计算了5种较理想波况下摆板采集波能的平均能量转换效率,结果发现,波浪的周期和波高越大,摆板的波能采集效率越低。     

Analytical method of radiation by a wave energy device with dual rectangular floating bodies

The system with one floating rectangular body on the free surface and one submerged rectangular body has been applied to a wave energy conversion device in water of finite depth. The radiation problem by this device on a plane incident wave is solved by the use of an eigenfunction expansion method, and a new analytical expression for the radiation velocity potential is obtained. The wave excitation force is calculated via the known incident wave potential and the radiation potential with a theorem of Haskind employed. To verify the correctness of this method, an example is computed respectively through the bound element method and analytical method. Results show that two numerical methods. are in good agreement, which shows that the present method is applicable. In addition, the trends of hydrodynamic coefficients and wave force are analyzed under different conditions by use of the present analytical method.     

Hydrodynamic simulation of a floating wave energy converter by a U-tube rig for power take-off testing

Floating oscillating-bodies constitute an important class of offshore wave energy converters. The testing of their power take-off equipment (PTO) (high-pressure hydraulics, linear electrical generator or other) under realistically simulated sea conditions is usually regarded as a major task. A laboratory rig, consisting of a U-tube enclosing an oscillating column of water driven by a time-varying air-pressure, was devised to simulate the hydrodynamics of an oscillating buoy absorbing energy from sea waves, especially the inertia and the resonant frequency of the oscillating body. The PTO force is applied (by means of a piston) on one of the ends of the U-tube oscillating water column, whereas the other end is subject to a controlled time-varying air pressure. This is found to provide a reasonably realistic way of testing the PTO system (including its control) at an adequate scale (say about 1:5 to 1:4), which would avoid the use of a much more expensive experimental facility (very large wave tank) or testing in real wind-generated sea-waves. The matching conditions that the U-tube geometry and the driving time-varying air pressure must meet to ensure an adequate simulation are derived. These conditions leave some freedom to the U-tube rig designer and operator, allowing practical and engineering issues to be taken into account.     

Declutching control of a wave energy converter

When hydraulic power take off (PTO) is used to convert the mechanical energy of a wave energy converter (WEC) into a more useful form of energy, the PTO force needs to be controlled. Continuous controlled variation of the PTO force can be approximated by a set of discrete values. This can be implemented using either variable displacement pumps or several hydraulic cylinders or several high pressure accumulators with different pressure levels. This pseudo-continuous control could lead to a complex PTO with a lot of components. A simpler way for controlling this hydraulic PTO is declutching control, which consists in switching on and off alternatively the wave energy converter's PTO. This can be achieved practically using a simple by-pass valve. In this paper, the control law of the valve is determined by using the optimal command theory. It is shown that, theoretically when considering a wave activated body type of WEC, declutching control can lead to energy absorption performance at least equivalent to that of pseudo-continuous control. The method is then applied to the case of the SEAREV wave energy converter, and it is shown than declutching control can even lead to a higher energy absorption, both in regular and irregular waves.     

基于LabVIEW的波浪驱动测量系统仿真设计

提出了一种通过虚拟仪器软件LabVIEW对水下测量系统进行仿真的方法,通过受力分析,可以近似地模拟出波浪驱动测量系统在水中的工作状态,为系统合理地布放提供有效的搭配方案。     

A second order random wave model for predicting the power performances of a wave energy converter

The power performances of a point absorber wave energy converter(WEC) operating in a nonlinear multidirectional random sea are rigorously investigated. The absorbed power of the WEC Power-Take-Off system has been predicted by incorporating a second order random wave model into a nonlinear dynamic filter. This is a new approach, and, as the second order random wave model can be utilized to accurately simulate the nonlinear waves in an irregular sea, avoids the inaccuracies resulting from using a first order linear wave model in the simulation process. The predicted results have been systematically analyzed and compared, and the advantages of using this new approach have been convincingly substantiated.     

Investigation on the energy absorption performance of a fixed-bottom pressure-differential wave energy converter

In this article, we investigate the energy absorption performance of a fixed-bottom pressure-differential wave energy converter. Two versions of the technology are considered: one has the moving surfaces on the bottom of the air chambers whereas the other has the moving surfaces on the top. We developed numerical models in the frequency domain, thereby enabling the power absorption of the two versions of the device to be assessed. It is observed that the moving surfaces on the top allow for easier tuning of the natural period of the system. Taking into account stroke limitations, the design is optimized. Results indicate that the pressure-differential wave energy converter is a highly efficient technology both with respect to energy absorption and selected economic performance indicators.     

有效吸收和传递波浪能的锚泊系统的设计制作

将传统定位浮标加以改进,可以形成一种能有效吸收和传递波浪能的锚泊系统。此系统的最上端是漂浮着的海面浮标,海面浮标下端连着锚泊钢缆,锚泊钢缆下端到海底之间又依次连有张紧锤、储链和重物锚块。锚泊系统中的海面浮标随波浪同步上下起伏,从而带动与其连在一起的由张紧锤绷直的锚泊钢缆上下振动,于是海面浮标吸收波浪能并由引导缆向下传递。20 m长的储链可以保证整个装置在涨潮、退潮的极限水深情况下,仍旧可以有效地传递海表面波浪能;合适的重物锚块可以起到为整个系统定位的功能。最后给出了一个实际应用波浪能的例子。设计制作的锚泊系统可以有效吸收和传递波浪能,为波浪能的利用提供了一种行之有效的方法。     

Wave tank and bench-top control testing of a wave energy converter

An increasing number of experiments are being conducted to study the design and performance of wave energy converters. Often in these tests, a real-time realization of prospective control algorithms is applied in order to assess and optimize energy absorption as well as other factors. This paper details the design and execution of an experiment for evaluating the capability of a model-scale WEC to execute basic control algorithms. Model-scale hardware, system, and experimental design are considered, with a focus on providing an experimental setup capable of meeting the dynamic requirements of a control system. To more efficiently execute such tests, a dry bench testing method is proposed and utilized to allow for controller tuning and to give an initial assessment of controller performance; this is followed by wave tank testing. The trends from the dry bench test and wave tank test results show good agreement with theory and confirm the ability of a relatively simple feedback controller to substantially improve energy absorption. Additionally, the dry bench testing approach is shown to be an effective and efficient means of designing and testing both controllers and actuator systems for wave energy converters.     

Wave climate scatter performance of a cycloidal wave energy converter

A lift based cycloidal wave energy converter (WEC) was investigated using potential flow numerical simulations in combination with viscous loss estimates based on published hydrofoil data. This type of wave energy converter consists of a shaft with one or more hydrofoils attached eccentrically at a radius. The main shaft is aligned parallel to the wave crests and submerged at a fixed depth. The operation of the WEC as a wave-to-shaft energy converter interacting with straight crested waves was estimated for an actual ocean wave climate. The climate chosen was the climate recorded by a buoy off the north-east shore of Oahu/Hawaii, which was a typical moderate wave climate featuring an average annual wave power P_W = 17 kWh/m of wave crest. The impact of the design variables radius, chord, span and maximum generator power on the average annual shaft energy yield, capacity factor and power production time fraction were explored. In the selected wave climate, a radius R = 5 m, chord C = 5 m and span of S = 60 m along with a maximum generator power of P_G = 1.25 MW were found to be optimal in terms of annual shaft energy yield. At the design point, the CycWEC achieved a wave-to-shaft power efficiency of 70%. In the annual average, 40% of the incoming wave energy was converted to shaft energy, and a capacity factor of 42% was achieved. These numbers exceeded the typical performance of competing renewables like wind power, and demonstrated that the WEC was able to convert wave energy to shaft energy efficiently for a range of wave periods and wave heights as encountered in a typical wave climate.     

集成波能转换功能的方箱—挡浪板式浮式防波堤水动力特性研究

浮式防波堤与振荡浮子式波浪能转换装置集成是一种较为合理的波浪能开发利用方式,基于方箱式浮式防波堤—波浪能转换集成系统和幕帘式防波堤的研究成果,提出了一种新型方箱—垂直挡浪板式浮式防波堤—波浪能转换集成系统,建立数学模型对该集成系统的水动力特性和能量输出特性进行研究。模型基于N-S方程,采用紧致插值曲线(CIP)方法结合浸没边界法(IBM)求解。运用数值模型探究在一定波浪条件下,动力输出系统(PTO)阻尼力的大小以及挡浪板对集成系统的水动力特性和能量转换特性的影响,得到如下结论:集成系统的俘获宽度比随PTO阻尼力的增大呈现先增大后减小的趋势,在阻尼力F_(PTO)=150 N时达到最大;相对于方箱型集成系统,增设0.1 m挡浪板后可使其最大俘获宽度比η_e提高33%左右;此外,集成系统的俘获宽度比随挡浪板长度增加而增大,增长趋势逐渐变缓,在挡浪板长度S_p=0.5 m时达到最大,此时俘获宽度比η_e=0.563 1。     

一种铰接摆式波浪能转换装置结构性能分析及优化

对一种海底铰接摆式波浪能转换装置进行了模型建立及控制优化。分析了装置的水动力特性,考虑黏性阻尼,研究了压载和负载阻尼的控制对装置的波能转换功率和效率的影响。指出对海底铰接摆式波能转换装置而言,由于多数周期附加转动惯量较装置本身的转动惯量大很多,因此压载控制对波能转换功率和效率的影响较小,而负载阻尼的控制则表现出较好的效果和可行性。     

Optimal causal control of a wave energy converter in a random sea

This paper concerns the design of feedback control systems to maximize power generation of a wave energy converter (WEC) in a random sea. In the literature on WEC control, most of the proposed feedback controllers fall into three categories. Many are static; i.e., they extract power by imposing an equivalent damping or resistive load on the power take-off (PTO) devices. Others are dynamic and are designed to maximize power generation at all frequencies, which results in an anticausal feedback law. Other dynamic control design methods are causal, and are tuned to achieve the anticausal performance at only a single frequency. By contrast, this paper illustrates that the determination of the true optimal causal dynamic controller for a WEC can be found as the solution to a nonstandard linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) optimal control problem. The theory assumes that the control system must make power generation decisions based only on present and past measurements of the generator voltages and/or velocities. It is shown that unlike optimal anticausal control, optimal causal control requires knowledge of the stationary spectral characteristics of the random sea state. Additionally, it is shown that the efficiency of the generator factors into the feedback synthesis. The theory is illustrated on a linear dynamical model for a buoy-type WEC with significant resonant modes in surge and pitch, and equipped with three spatially-distributed generators.