Modelling and analysis of inertia self‐tuning phase control strategy for a floating multi‐body wave energy converter. Issue 14 (15th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Shaohui; Chen, Hu; Ji, Zhifei; Li, Hui; Xiang, Xu
• Other Names: Guo Bingyong guestEditor.; Zheng Siming guestEditor.; Ringwood John guestEditor.; Henriques João guestEditor.; Zhang Dahai guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: IET renewable power generation. Volume 15:Issue 14(2021)
• Page Start: 3126
• Page End: 3137
• Publication Date: 2021-05-15
• Subjects: Inertia self‐tuning -- irregular wave -- oscillating buoy -- phase control -- wave energy converter; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; 333.79405
• DOI: 10.1049/rpg2.12208
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-1416

Abstract

Abstract: Wave energy converters (WECs) exhibit higher energy capture capacity when the wave frequency is close to the nature frequency of the device. A possible way to enhance energy capture efficiency is to modify the nature frequency of a WEC to match the incoming wave frequency. This paper presents an inertia self‐tuning phase control strategy which can optimize the wave energy capture efficiency of a floating multi‐body (FMB) WEC by regulating automatically the total mass of the capture energy part according to the incoming wave conditions. A variable‐frequency inertia self‐tuning control system is designed to conduct the proposed control strategy. The mathematical model of rotational motion of the FMB WEC is built and the dynamic performance of the control system is analysed in detail. Simulation results illustrate the proposed control strategy can achieve a phase optimization and hence significantly improve wave energy extraction of the FMB WEC in both regular and irregular waves. For regular waves, the maximum capture width ratio)CWR( under the control strategy is 7.3 times higher than that no control strategy is used. For irregular waves, the maximum CWR under the control strategy is 4.4 times that without the control strategy at the same wave frequency.