Research And Development Of A Novel Pendulum Wave Energy Converter

To explore and harness the power of ocean is one of the oldest dreams of human civilization. The energy from ocean waves has been considered to be destructive. The possibility of converting wave energy into usable energy has inspired numerous inventors. Wave energy is being increasingly regarded in many countries as a promising renewable resource, following over decades of intensive research and development.This paper describes the current research status of wave energy convention systems at home and abroad, and analyses the characteristics and principles of various kinds of wave energy converters (WECs). Aiming at solving the power supply of offshore electrical facilities, a novel pendulum wave energy converter is proposed. Several topics are addressed:(1) Overall design of the wave energy converter. Using the pendulum to capture wave energy, a novel energy absorption system is proposed. The paper introduces several commonly used power take-off systems. In order to improve the efficiency of the converter and simplify the convention system, a mechanical power take-off system is used. The converter is sealed in a box and isolated entirely with sea water.(2) Mechanical design of the wave energy converter. Part drawings and assembly drawings of the device are accomplished with software AutoCAD and Inventor. To validate the feasibility of the mechanical system, a three dimensional digital model is established. And the finite element strength analysis of main components is completed by ANSYS.(3) Numerical modeling of the wave energy converter. The mathematical model of the device is established with linear wave theory. The simulation of the pendulum is done with Matlab software, and motion curves of the pendulum are gained. The theoretical efficiency of the converter is12.1%, and the theoretical average power output of the converter is9.7W.(4) Experimental modeling of the wave energy converter. The prototype of the WEC is tested in the laboratory. The average power output of the prototype is about10W. The experiment results agree with the numerical modeling results.