Nonlinear hydrostatic control of a wave energy converter
| DWPI Title: Nonlinear wave energy converter, which comprises a shaped buoy in a body of water having a wave motion, where waves impacting buoy exert an excitation force with multiple excitation frequencies on the buoy |
| Abstract: Increased energy harvesting is realized using a nonlinear buoy geometry for reactive power generation. By exploiting the nonlinear dynamic coupling between the buoy geometry and the potential wideband frequency spectrum of incoming waves in the controller/buoy design, increased power can be captured in comparison to conventional wave energy converter designs. In particular, the reactive power and energy storage system requirements are inherently embedded in the nonlinear buoy geometry, therefore requiring only simple rate-feedback control. |
| Use: Nonlinear wave energy converter. |
| Advantage: Nonlinear wave energy converter prevents the right circular cylinder (RCC) buoy from coming out of the water or totally submerging, causing over-topping. |
| Novelty: The nonlinear wave energy converter comprises a shaped buoy in a body of water having a wave motion, where the waves impacting the buoy exert an excitation force with multiple excitation frequencies on the buoy that causes a buoy motion in a heave direction relative to a reference. The buoy has a shape that produces reactive power from the wave motion. The shape of the shaped buoy is determined by Hamiltonian surface-shaping and power flow control to harvest maximum energy from the wave motion. The shaped buoy has an hourglass shape. The hourglass shape has mirrored right circular cones having a cone angle. The cone angle is greater than 50 degrees. The cone angle is selected to harvest maximum energy from the wave motion. The shaped buoy has a shape that is curved outwardly from a vertical axis of the buoy away from the waterline. |
| Filed: 2/17/2020 |
| Application Number: US16792749A |
| Tech ID: SD 15091.2 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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