Experimental Determination of Energy Absorption Characteristics of a Cylindrical Wave Energy Converter in Linear and Nonlinear Waves
Abstract
Wave Energy Converters (WEC's) are devices that extract the energy stored in ocean waves and convert it into useful energy, like electricity. A cylindrical WEC was tested in both 1-degree-of-freedom (DOF) and 2 DOF configurations. The first set of experiments were performed with a 1 DOF system featuring mechanical springs which provided passive restoring forces. The second set of 1 DOF experiments and all of the preliminary 2 DOF trials were done with an actuated gantry. This gantry allowed for the control forces applied on the cylinder to be changed via software rather than by switching out mechanical hardware. During trials with wave amplitudes ranging from 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches and wave periods between 0.5 and 2.5 seconds, the hydrodynamic forces acting on the cylinder caused it to oscillate and absorb a fraction of the incident wave energy. The maximum energy available for extraction from the oscillator was 35 percent in the mechanical 1 DOF configuration, which occurred at the resonant wave period of 1.48 s and a wave amplitude of 0.75 in. Measurements of available energy for 1 DOF and 2 DOF tests with the gantry system are in the initial stages, as the presence of significant system frictional damping caused all experiments to have an overdamped response. However, the addition of a second degree of freedom caused an increase in available energy by a factor of around two (as compared to the 1 DOF gantry tests). Future work will consist of deducing an accurate model of gantry friction to allow the control system to properly account for it during experiments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 16, 2026
- Accession Number
- AD1207044
Entities
People
- Ryan M. Conway
Organizations
- United States Naval Academy