Generator Selection and Comparative Performance in Offshore Oscillating Water Column Ocean Wave Energy Converters

In the field of wind energy, electrical generator solutions have converged on a small number of technologies for specific technical and economic reasons. This paper investigates whether a similar rationale exists within the field of oscillating water column, wave energy converters. The suitability or otherwise of the various generator options in the offshore marine environment is examined in detail. Each generator configuration is then modeled and the annual energy output for a typical wave climate assessed with consideration being given to the impact of speed control on the energy output. Finally, some conclusions are drawn regarding the relative suitability of the different generator options.

[1]  R. Curran,et al.  Aerodynamic conversion of ocean power from wave to wire , 1998 .

[2]  M. Jasinski,et al.  Control of AC/DC/AC Converter for Multi MW Wave Dragon Offshore Energy Conversion System , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics.

[3]  A. Falcão.  Control of an oscillating-water-column wave power plant for maximum energy production , 2002 .

[4]  H. Eidsmoen,et al.  SIMULATION OF A TIGHT-MOORED AMPLITUDE- LIMITED HEAVING-BUOY WAVE-ENERGY CONVERTER WITH PHASE CONTROL , 1998 .

[5]  Dracos Vassalos,et al.  Physical modelling and similitude of marine structures , 1998 .

[6]  Joao Cruz,et al.  Ocean Wave Energy , 2008 .

[7]  Raymond Alcorn,et al.  Case study feasibility analysis of the Pelamis wave energy convertor in Ireland, Portugal and North America , 2010 .

[8]  D. V. Evans,et al.  The Oscillating Water Column Wave-energy Device , 1978 .

[9]  Erich Hau,et al.  Wind Turbines: Fundamentals, Technologies, Application, Economics , 1999 .

[10]  V. Jayashankar,et al.  Maximizing power output from a wave energy plant , 2000, 2000 IEEE Power Engineering Society Winter Meeting. Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37077).

[11]  R. Datta,et al.  Variable-Speed Wind Power Generation Using a Doubly Fed Wound Rotor Induction Machine: A Comparison with Alternative Schemes , 2002, IEEE Power Engineering Review.

[12]  Anca Daniela Hansen,et al.  Fault ride-through capability of DFIG wind turbines , 2007 .

[13]  Frede Blaabjerg,et al.  Generators and power electronics technology for wind turbines , 2001, IECON'01. 27th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (Cat. No.37243).

[14]  A Babarit,et al.  Design Methodology for a SEAREV Wave Energy Converter , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion.

[15]  D.L. O'Sullivan,et al.  Generator selection for offshore oscillating water column wave energy converters , 2008, 2008 13th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference.

[16]  R.J. Hamilton.  DC motor brush life , 1998, Conference Record of 1998 IEEE Industry Applications Conference. Thirty-Third IAS Annual Meeting (Cat. No.98CH36242).

[17]  Markus Mueller,et al.  Electrical generators for direct drive wave energy converters , 2002 .

[18]  G. Sridhara Rao,et al.  Dynamic analysis of a grid-connected induction generator driven by a wave-energy turbine through hunting networks , 1999 .

[19]  M. Hand,et al.  Wind Turbine Design Cost and Scaling Model , 2006 .

[20]  M J Tucker,et al.  WAVES IN OCEAN ENGINEERING , 2001 .

[21]  M.V.R.S. Jensen.  Long-term high resolution wear studies of high current density electrical brushes , 2005, Proceedings of the Fifty-First IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, 2005..

[22]  Jussi Puranen,et al.  Induction motor versus permanent magnet synchronous motor in motion control applications: a comparative study , 2006 .

[23]  Tze-Fun Chan,et al.  Permanent-Magnet Machines for Distributed Power Generation: A Review , 2007, 2007 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting.

[24]  Georgia Daniela Marcusso Marques,et al.  Stability study of the slip power recovery generator applied to the sea wave energy extraction , 1992, PESC '92 Record. 23rd Annual IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference.

[25]  Ross Henderson,et al.  Design, simulation, and testing of a novel hydraulic power take-off system for the Pelamis wave energy converter , 2006 .

[26]  S. Raghunathan,et al.  The wells air turbine for wave energy conversion , 1995 .

[27]  Peter Frigaard,et al.  Prototype Testing of the Wave Energy Converter Wave Dragon , 2006 .

[28]  Valéria Hrabovcová,et al.  Design of Rotating Electrical Machines , 2009 .

[29]  Manabu Takao,et al.  A twin unidirectional impulse turbine topology for OWC based wave energy plants , 2009 .

[30]  V. Jayashankar,et al.  Steady Grid Power From Wave Energy , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion.

[31]  F.W. Fuchs,et al.  Analysis of three phase grid failure and Doubly Fed Induction Generator ride-through using crowbars , 2007, 2007 European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications.

[32]  João Cruz.  Ocean wave energy : current status and future prepectives : with 202 figures and 13 tables , 2008 .

[33]  Aurélien Babarit,et al.  A wave-to-wire model of the SEAREV wave energy converter , 2007 .