Abstract
The OWC spar-buoy is an axisymmetric floating version of an oscillating-water-column (OWC) based device whose power take-off (PTO) system is an air turbine/generator set. Latching has been regarded as one of the most promising techniques to improve the efficiency of wave energy converters. In the case of the OWC spar-buoy, latching control is performed by opening/closing a high-speed stop valve installed in series with the turbine. The present paper has three main objectives. Firstly, to assess the performance improvements that can be achieved with a latching control strategy within a receding horizon framework. Secondly, to establish the practical requirements of this type of control by evaluating the sensitivity of the turbine power output to several receding horizon time intervals. Finally, to test and validate experimentally the proposed algorithms in a small-scale PTO test rig. All the experimental tests were performed considering irregular wave conditions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 229-241 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Renewable Energy |
| Volume | 90 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2016 |
Keywords
- Latching control
- Oscillating-water-column
- OWC spar-buoy
- Receding horizon
- Wave energy
Project and Funding Information
- Project ID
- info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/262552/EU/Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network for Emerging Energy Technologies/Marinet
- info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/607656/EU/OceaNET/OCEANET
- Funding Info
- The research was partially funded by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme under MARINET (Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network) initiative. This work was also funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through IDMEC, under LAETA Pest-OE/EME/LA0022 and contract PTDC/EME-MFE/111763/2009. The first author was supported by FCT researcher grant No. IF/01457/2014. The fifth author was supported by the OceaNET project, which has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No. 607656.
