Optimising Reactive Control in non-ideal Efficiency Wave Energy Converters

• Published in: Volume 9A: Ocean Renewable Energy
• Main Authors: Strager, Thomas, Lopez, Pablo Fernandez, Giorgio, Giuseppe, dit Neuville, Antoine Martin, Muresan, Tudor, Vidal, Enrique, Andersen, Palle, Nielsen, Kirsten M., Pedersen, Tom S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2014
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/3eef3c51-ccf3-4236-8fa3-23a0d974a94d; https://doi.org/10.1115/OMAE2014-23005; http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1912137

When analytically optimising the control strategy in wave energy converters which use a point absorber, the efficiency as- pect is generally neglected. The results presented in this paper provide an analytical expression for the mean harvested electri- cal power in non-ideal efficiency situations. These have been de- rived under the assumptions of monochromatic incoming waves and linear system behaviour. This allows to establish the power factor of a system with non-ideal efficiency. The locus of the optimal reactive control parameters is then studied and an alter- native method of representation is developed to model the opti- mal control parameters. Ultimately we present a simple method of choosing optimal control parameters for any combination of efficiency and wave frequency. When analytically optimising the control strategy in wave energy converters which use a point absorber, the efficiency aspect is generally neglected. The results presented in this paper provide an analytical expression for the mean harvested electrical power in non-ideal efficiency situations. These have been derived under the assumptions of monochromatic incoming waves and linear system behaviour. This allows to establish the power factor of a system with non-ideal efficiency. The locus of the optimal reactive control parameters is then studied and an alternative method of representation is developed to model the optimal control parameters. Ultimately we present a simple method of choosing optimal control parameters for any combination of efficiency and wave frequency.