System-level Co-design and Control of Large Capacity Wave Energy Converters with Multiple PTOs

Lead Research Organisation: The University of Manchester
Department Name: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Abstract

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Description Stated objectives were:
i) Establish a generic wave-to-wire model for a reconfigurable multi-float multi-power take-off wave energy converter.
ii) Develop the deterministic sea wave prediction (DSWP) technique for real sea conditions.
iii) Develop a hierarchical optimal control framework based on the W2W model of i) and the Multi-DSWP technique of ii) to maximize energy output, optimally regulate shutdown and improve power quality.
iv) Develop a co-design procedure by integrating the control of iii) into the W2W WEC design.
v) Design and build up a reconfigurable W2W test-rig with multiple PTOs for fast and economic dry testing of control strategies and co-design results.
vi) Implement simulations using the data through a whole year's sea conditions, based on the control and the co-design result validated in v), to investigate the lowest annualized levelized cost of energy.
The electrical & hydraulics team at Manchester is directly responsible for the delivery of (i) and (v), is collaborating with Exeter on (ii), and with the control team on supporting (iii), (iv) and (vi).
Task (i) is complete; platform models have been verified in tank tests and electrical models have been validated in dry tests. The collaboration for task (ii) is ongoing. Manchester has supported tasks (ii) and (iv) and (vi), supplying reduced-order computationally-efficient electrical models (now published) and analytical sizing tools. One channel of the dry test rig has been fully commissioned and used to generate results for publications. The second has been recently completed to allow experimental validation of control for multi-directional waves and with multiple floats. The third channel is still under construction.
The research has identified that effective power-limiting control in high sea-states is important for overall cost of energy and has proposed a new sea-state dependent control strategy (published). The electrical & hydraulics team contributed strategies to protect the generator and gearbox in high sea states to this work.
Exploitation Route The most promising applications of wave power short-term would be in aquaculture (see partnership with UWA and Blue Horizon) or in combination with offshore wind.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Energy
 
Title Computationally efficient reduced-order models of power take-off components 
Description Reduced order models of power-take-off components for wave generation, that preserve low-frequency behaviour (0.1 s update rate) for system level model predictive control and design optimisation. Conventional models require 50 us update rate. Relevant to other renewable energy sources such as wind. 
Type Of Material Computer model/algorithm 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Reduces computation times from hours to minutes enabling progress on the co-design and control aspects of this project. 
 
Description Seeding Marine Innovation in WA with a Wave Energy Deployment in Albany 
Organisation University of Western Australia
Country Australia 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Advising on electrical drive train design and integration and instrumentation.
Collaborator Contribution The wave energy converter concept was developed by project partner M4 Ltd.
Impact One joint publication. Deployment is currently at the dry test stage. Future outputs would be in the form of deployment data and societal impact.
Start Year 2022
 
Description A presentation of the project progress in EPSRC ORE Supergen Annual Assembly 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Prof Guang Li gave a talk to update the progress of the project, the latest results and future plan in the one-day ORE Supergen Annual Assembly held in Southampton. Our team also engaged with the event actively and met academic colleagues and industrial partners during the event.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://nf-pogo-alumni.org/opportunities/meetings-opportunities/020623-6/
 
Description Poster presentation to Supergen ORE Hub Autumn Assembly Oxford, by project PDRA XZ 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact Poster presentation to inform UK wave energy community about activities, engage in discussions with the hydrodynamics and marine energy researchers and exchange views on aspects relating to the power take-off and electrical interfaces. Researcher development.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://supergen-ore.net/news-and-events/supergen-ore-hub-autumn-assembly