Linear PM Generator System for Wave Energy Conversion in the AWS

TLDR

The Archimedes Wave Swing converts ocean wave energy into electricity. The system uses a permanent‑magnet linear synchronous generator driven by a current‑source inverter. A pilot plant was built, yielding 1.64 GWh annually, and replacing the CSI with a voltage‑source inverter improved power factor, waveforms, efficiency, and generator force, raising the yield by 18 %.

Abstract

The Archimedes Wave Swing is a system that converts ocean wave energy into electric energy. A pilot plant of this system has been built. The generator system consists of a permanent-magnet linear synchronous generator with a current source inverter (CSI). The correlation between the measured and the calculated parameters of the designed generator is reasonable. The annual energy yield of the pilot plant is calculated from the wave distribution as 1.64 GWh. Using a voltage source inverter instead of a CSI improves the power factor, the current waveforms, the efficiency and the generator force, so that the annual energy yield increases with 18%.