Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control
Fred Olsen is currently testing their latest wave energy converter (WEC), Lifesaver, outside of Falmouth Bay in England, preparing it for commercial operation at the Wavehub test site. Previous studies, mostly focusing on hydrodynamics and peak to average power reduction, have shown that this device...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2013-07-01
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| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/8/3706 |
| _version_ | 1798034853420072960 |
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| author | Marta Molinas Jonas Sjolte Christian McLisky Sandvik Elisabetta Tedeschi |
| author_facet | Marta Molinas Jonas Sjolte Christian McLisky Sandvik Elisabetta Tedeschi |
| author_sort | Marta Molinas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fred Olsen is currently testing their latest wave energy converter (WEC), Lifesaver, outside of Falmouth Bay in England, preparing it for commercial operation at the Wavehub test site. Previous studies, mostly focusing on hydrodynamics and peak to average power reduction, have shown that this device has potential for increased power extraction using reactive control. This article extends those analyses, adding a detailed model of the all-electric power take-off (PTO) system, consisting of a permanent magnet synchronous generator, inverter and DC-link. Time domain simulations are performed to evaluate the PTO capabilities of the modeled WEC. However, when tuned towards reactive control, the generator losses become large, giving a very low overall system efficiency. Optimal control with respect to electrical output power is found to occur with low added mass, and when compared to pure passive loading, a 1% increase in annual energy production is estimated. The main factor reducing the effect of reactive control is found to be the minimum load-force constraint of the device. These results suggest that the Lifesaver has limited potential for increased production by reactive control. This analysis is nevertheless valuable, as it demonstrates how a wave-to-wire model can be used for investigation of PTO potential, annual energy production estimations and evaluations of different control techniques for a given WEC device. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:50:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6dc454cce1024696a1e0e5fdbff316aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:50:10Z |
| publishDate | 2013-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-6dc454cce1024696a1e0e5fdbff316aa2022-12-22T04:03:53ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732013-07-01683706373310.3390/en6083706Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive ControlMarta MolinasJonas SjolteChristian McLisky SandvikElisabetta TedeschiFred Olsen is currently testing their latest wave energy converter (WEC), Lifesaver, outside of Falmouth Bay in England, preparing it for commercial operation at the Wavehub test site. Previous studies, mostly focusing on hydrodynamics and peak to average power reduction, have shown that this device has potential for increased power extraction using reactive control. This article extends those analyses, adding a detailed model of the all-electric power take-off (PTO) system, consisting of a permanent magnet synchronous generator, inverter and DC-link. Time domain simulations are performed to evaluate the PTO capabilities of the modeled WEC. However, when tuned towards reactive control, the generator losses become large, giving a very low overall system efficiency. Optimal control with respect to electrical output power is found to occur with low added mass, and when compared to pure passive loading, a 1% increase in annual energy production is estimated. The main factor reducing the effect of reactive control is found to be the minimum load-force constraint of the device. These results suggest that the Lifesaver has limited potential for increased production by reactive control. This analysis is nevertheless valuable, as it demonstrates how a wave-to-wire model can be used for investigation of PTO potential, annual energy production estimations and evaluations of different control techniques for a given WEC device.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/8/3706wave energyreactive controllifesaverwave-to-wire modelpower take-offpoint absorber |
| spellingShingle | Marta Molinas Jonas Sjolte Christian McLisky Sandvik Elisabetta Tedeschi Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control Energies wave energy reactive control lifesaver wave-to-wire model power take-off point absorber |
| title | Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control |
| title_full | Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control |
| title_short | Exploring the Potential for Increased Production from the Wave Energy Converter Lifesaver by Reactive Control |
| title_sort | exploring the potential for increased production from the wave energy converter lifesaver by reactive control |
| topic | wave energy reactive control lifesaver wave-to-wire model power take-off point absorber |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/8/3706 |
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