Design Analyses Applied to a Hyperbaric Wave Energy Converter

摘要

The concept of an onshore hyperbaric wave energy device for electricity generation from ocean waves is based on high pressure storage of water pumped by the motion of floaters. The device is composed of three different sub-systems working together: floaters/ pumps, high pressure water storage in the accumulator/ hyperbaric chamber and a turbine/generator. Following experimental tests in an ocean basin, a full scale prototype was designed in order to demonstrate the proposed concept given the environmental conditions at the installation site. Numerical analyses were performed in order to establish material requirements and geometric properties for the various components under both static and dynamic load conditions. Structural design provided the necessary data for detailed drawings to for the fabrication of components.