Performance of Linear Generator Designs for Direct Drive Wave Energy Converter under Unidirectional Long-Crested Random Waves

For generating electricity, direct-drive wave energy converters (WECs) with linear permanent magnet generators (LPMGs) have advantages in terms of efficiency, simplicity, and force-to-weight ratio over WEC with rotary generators. However, the converter’s work under approaching-real wave conditions s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energies
Main Authors: Budi Azhari, Fransisco Danang Wijaya, Edwar Yazid
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021
Subjects:
iron-cored
semi iron-cored
LPMG
significant wave height
peak frequency
random wave
Technology
T
Southern Ocean
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165098
https://doaj.org/article/6faa4d6b20d741a9a219a72cdff9f69d
Description
Summary:For generating electricity, direct-drive wave energy converters (WECs) with linear permanent magnet generators (LPMGs) have advantages in terms of efficiency, simplicity, and force-to-weight ratio over WEC with rotary generators. However, the converter’s work under approaching-real wave conditions should be investigated. This paper studies the performance of a pico-scale WEC with two different LPMGs under unidirectional long-crested random waves. Different significant wave heights (using data in the Southern Ocean of Yogyakarta, Indonesia) and peak frequencies are tested. The JONSWAP energy spectrum is used to extract the wave elevations, while the MSS toolbox in MATLAB Simulink is employed to solve the floater’s dynamic responses. Next, the translator movements are extracted and combined with the flux distribution from FEMM simulation and analytical calculation, and the output powers are obtained. An experiment is conducted to test the output under constant speed. The results show for both designs, different tested significant wave height values produce higher output powers than peak frequency variation, but there is no specific trend on them. Meanwhile, the peak frequency is inversely proportional to the output power. Elimination of the non-facing events results in increasing output power under both parameters’ variation, with higher significant wave height resulting in a bigger increase. The semi iron-cored LPMG produces lower power loss and higher efficiency.

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