Efficiency analysis of the cycloidal wave energy convertor under real-time dynamic control using a 3D radiation model

Abstract

Ocean waves provide a vast, uninterrupted resource of renewable energy collocated around large coastal population centres. Clean energy from ocean waves can contribute to the local electrical grid without the need for long term electrical storage, yet due to the current high cost of energy extraction from ocean waves, there is no commercial ocean wave farm in operation. One of the wave energy converter (WEC) device classes that shows the potential to enable economic energy generation from ocean waves is the class of wave terminators. This work investigates the Cycloidal Wave Energy Converter (CycWEC), which is a one-sided, lift-based wave terminator operating with coupled hydrofoils. The energy that the CycWEC extracted from ocean waves was estimated using a control volume analysis model of the 3D wave field in the presence of the CycWEC. The CycWEC was operated under feedback control to extract the maximum amount of energy possible from the incoming waves, and the interaction with different incoming regular, irregular, and short crested waves was examined.