Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications

The power take-off (PTO) of a wave energy converter (WEC) converts mechanical power extracted from the waves into electrical power. Increasing PTO performance under several operational conditions is therefore essential to reduce the levelized cost of energy of a given wave energy concept and to achi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Luca Castellini, Federico Gallorini, Giacomo Alessandri, Erick Fernando Alves, Dan Montoya, Bhavana Mudigonda, Elisabetta Tedeschi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1744
_version_ 1797464927665913856
author Luca Castellini
Federico Gallorini
Giacomo Alessandri
Erick Fernando Alves
Dan Montoya
Bhavana Mudigonda
Elisabetta Tedeschi
author_facet Luca Castellini
Federico Gallorini
Giacomo Alessandri
Erick Fernando Alves
Dan Montoya
Bhavana Mudigonda
Elisabetta Tedeschi
author_sort Luca Castellini
collection DOAJ
description The power take-off (PTO) of a wave energy converter (WEC) converts mechanical power extracted from the waves into electrical power. Increasing PTO performance under several operational conditions is therefore essential to reduce the levelized cost of energy of a given wave energy concept and to achieve higher levels of technology readiness. A key task in the WEC design will then be the holistic assessment of the PTO performance in combination with other subsystems. It is hence important that WEC designers are aware of the different modeling options. This paper addresses this need and presents two alternative wave-to-wire modeling approaches based on a 250 kW modular electromechanical PTO coupled to an oscillating wave surge converter (OWSC) device. The first is a detailed and accurate offline model. The second model is a simplified and faster version of the first, being adequate for rapid analyses and real-time (RT) simulation. The paper presents the benchmarking of the offline model against the RT model and the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) tests of the PTO. The normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) is considered as a quantitative indicator for the measurement of real-time and HIL test results against the offline simulation. Results show that the dynamics of the offline model are well represented by the RT model with execution times up to 10 times faster. The offline model also depicts well the behavior observed in the HIL tests with the NRMSE values for the PTO position, velocity, and force above 0.90, which shows the HIL test results replicates with fidelity the dynamic behavior of the complete model. Meaningful differences are however present and highlighted in this paper. An understanding of the advantages and drawbacks of these three approaches is fundamental to properly design a WEC during its project cycle and validate PTO concepts with a certain level of simplification.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T18:14:09Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d49006a817a34b21bebdec4f2802bee9
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2077-1312
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T18:14:09Z
publishDate 2022-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
spelling doaj.art-d49006a817a34b21bebdec4f2802bee92023-11-24T08:52:11ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-11-011011174410.3390/jmse10111744Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy ApplicationsLuca Castellini0Federico Gallorini1Giacomo Alessandri2Erick Fernando Alves3Dan Montoya4Bhavana Mudigonda5Elisabetta Tedeschi6UMBRAGROUP s.p.a, 06034 Foligno, ItalyVGA S.R.L., 06053 Deruta, ItalyVGA S.R.L., 06053 Deruta, ItalyDepartment of Electric Power Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Electric Power Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Electric Power Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Electric Power Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, NorwayThe power take-off (PTO) of a wave energy converter (WEC) converts mechanical power extracted from the waves into electrical power. Increasing PTO performance under several operational conditions is therefore essential to reduce the levelized cost of energy of a given wave energy concept and to achieve higher levels of technology readiness. A key task in the WEC design will then be the holistic assessment of the PTO performance in combination with other subsystems. It is hence important that WEC designers are aware of the different modeling options. This paper addresses this need and presents two alternative wave-to-wire modeling approaches based on a 250 kW modular electromechanical PTO coupled to an oscillating wave surge converter (OWSC) device. The first is a detailed and accurate offline model. The second model is a simplified and faster version of the first, being adequate for rapid analyses and real-time (RT) simulation. The paper presents the benchmarking of the offline model against the RT model and the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) tests of the PTO. The normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) is considered as a quantitative indicator for the measurement of real-time and HIL test results against the offline simulation. Results show that the dynamics of the offline model are well represented by the RT model with execution times up to 10 times faster. The offline model also depicts well the behavior observed in the HIL tests with the NRMSE values for the PTO position, velocity, and force above 0.90, which shows the HIL test results replicates with fidelity the dynamic behavior of the complete model. Meaningful differences are however present and highlighted in this paper. An understanding of the advantages and drawbacks of these three approaches is fundamental to properly design a WEC during its project cycle and validate PTO concepts with a certain level of simplification.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1744wave energy conversionsystems modelingpower take-offballscrewelectric generatortest bench
spellingShingle Luca Castellini
Federico Gallorini
Giacomo Alessandri
Erick Fernando Alves
Dan Montoya
Bhavana Mudigonda
Elisabetta Tedeschi
Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
wave energy conversion
systems modeling
power take-off
ballscrew
electric generator
test bench
title Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications
title_full Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications
title_fullStr Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications
title_short Comparison of Offline, Real-Time Models and Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Results of a Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Applications
title_sort comparison of offline real time models and hardware in the loop test results of a power take off for wave energy applications
topic wave energy conversion
systems modeling
power take-off
ballscrew
electric generator
test bench
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1744
work_keys_str_mv AT lucacastellini comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications
AT federicogallorini comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications
AT giacomoalessandri comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications
AT erickfernandoalves comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications
AT danmontoya comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications
AT bhavanamudigonda comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications
AT elisabettatedeschi comparisonofofflinerealtimemodelsandhardwareinthelooptestresultsofapowertakeoffforwaveenergyapplications