Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters
The power production of the linear generator wave energy converter developed at Uppsala University is affected by variations of mean sea level. The reason is that these variations change the distance between the point absorber located on the surface and the linear generator located on the seabed. Th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-04-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/4/3272 |
| _version_ | 1817993164017893376 |
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| author | Valeria Castellucci Johan Abrahamsson Tobias Kamf Rafael Waters |
| author_facet | Valeria Castellucci Johan Abrahamsson Tobias Kamf Rafael Waters |
| author_sort | Valeria Castellucci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The power production of the linear generator wave energy converter developed at Uppsala University is affected by variations of mean sea level. The reason is that these variations change the distance between the point absorber located on the surface and the linear generator located on the seabed. This shifts the average position of the translator with respect to the center of the stator, thereby reducing the generator output power. A device mounted on the point absorber that compensates for tides of small range by regulating the length of the connection line between the buoy at the surface and the linear generator has been constructed and tested. This paper describes the electro-mechanical, measurement, communication and control systems installed on the buoy and shows the results obtained before its connection to the generator. The adjustment of the line was achieved through a linear actuator, which shortens the line during low tides and vice versa. The motor that drives the mechanical device was activated remotely via SMS. The measurement system that was mounted on the buoy consisted of current and voltage sensors, accelerometers, strain gauges and inductive and laser sensors. The data collected were transferred via Internet to a Dropbox server. As described within the paper, after the calibration of the sensors, the buoy was assembled and tested in the waters of Lysekil harbor, a few kilometers from the Uppsala University research site. Moreover, the performance of the sensors, the motion of the mechanical device, the power consumption, the current control strategy and the communication system are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:36:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1252955befca474aa2c610304196caff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:36:21Z |
| publishDate | 2015-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-1252955befca474aa2c610304196caff2022-12-22T02:19:56ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732015-04-01843272329110.3390/en8043272en8043272Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy ConvertersValeria Castellucci0Johan Abrahamsson1Tobias Kamf2Rafael Waters3Swedish Centre for Renewable Electric Energy Conversion, Division for Electricity, Uppsala University, Box 534, Uppsala 751 21, SwedenSwedish Centre for Renewable Electric Energy Conversion, Division for Electricity, Uppsala University, Box 534, Uppsala 751 21, SwedenSwedish Centre for Renewable Electric Energy Conversion, Division for Electricity, Uppsala University, Box 534, Uppsala 751 21, SwedenSwedish Centre for Renewable Electric Energy Conversion, Division for Electricity, Uppsala University, Box 534, Uppsala 751 21, SwedenThe power production of the linear generator wave energy converter developed at Uppsala University is affected by variations of mean sea level. The reason is that these variations change the distance between the point absorber located on the surface and the linear generator located on the seabed. This shifts the average position of the translator with respect to the center of the stator, thereby reducing the generator output power. A device mounted on the point absorber that compensates for tides of small range by regulating the length of the connection line between the buoy at the surface and the linear generator has been constructed and tested. This paper describes the electro-mechanical, measurement, communication and control systems installed on the buoy and shows the results obtained before its connection to the generator. The adjustment of the line was achieved through a linear actuator, which shortens the line during low tides and vice versa. The motor that drives the mechanical device was activated remotely via SMS. The measurement system that was mounted on the buoy consisted of current and voltage sensors, accelerometers, strain gauges and inductive and laser sensors. The data collected were transferred via Internet to a Dropbox server. As described within the paper, after the calibration of the sensors, the buoy was assembled and tested in the waters of Lysekil harbor, a few kilometers from the Uppsala University research site. Moreover, the performance of the sensors, the motion of the mechanical device, the power consumption, the current control strategy and the communication system are discussed.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/4/3272wave energytidal compensationnearshore testsmeasurement technique |
| spellingShingle | Valeria Castellucci Johan Abrahamsson Tobias Kamf Rafael Waters Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters Energies wave energy tidal compensation nearshore tests measurement technique |
| title | Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters |
| title_full | Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters |
| title_fullStr | Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters |
| title_short | Nearshore Tests of the Tidal Compensation System for Point-Absorbing Wave Energy Converters |
| title_sort | nearshore tests of the tidal compensation system for point absorbing wave energy converters |
| topic | wave energy tidal compensation nearshore tests measurement technique |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/4/3272 |
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