Analysis, design and testing of a novel direct‐drive wave energy converter system

Abstract

A coupled electromechanical and hydrodynamic time‐domain simulation of a direct‐drive generator connected to a heaving buoy for wave energy conversion is presented. The system is based on a novel direct‐drive power take‐off unit referred to as snapper. The simulation is based primarily in MATLAB using its built‐in ordinary differential equation solvers. These solvers act on the data derived from electromagnetic finite element analysis and from the WAMIT wave interaction simulation software. Test results of a generator prototype for comparison with the electromechanical simulation are presented. Results from wave tank tests of a full system incorporating the power take‐off are also provided for comparison with the hydrodynamic model.