Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Open Access Master's Report
Degree Name
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Advisor 1
Gordon Parker
Committee Member 1
Jungyun Bae
Committee Member 2
V. V. N. Sriram Malladi
Abstract
Point absorber wave energy converters (WECs) transform water wave kinetic energy into other useful forms, typically electrical. While it’s possible to extract energy from passive WECs, more energy can be captured using active control where its power take-off (PTO) acts as both a generator and an actuator. Control strategies usually require accurate models often obtained during model-scale testing. Unfortunately, friction can dominate the dynamic response in small WEC models. A frictionless point absorber WEC testbed is described in this report which allows the researcher to focus on fundamental hydrodynamic behavior instead of friction. It uses air bearings for vertical motion stabilization and a voice coil for the PTO. An embedded load cell provides real-time PTO force information and a laser sensor is used for noncontact displacement measurement. The voice coil has a nonlinear relationship between force, current, and displacement and is modeled using a neural network. The results of a typical use case are provided illustrating its end-to-end operation.
Recommended Citation
Bhardwaj, Vasu, "DESIGN, TESTING AND NEURAL NETWORK MODELING OF A LOW-FRICTION WAVE ENERGY CONVERTER TESTBED", Open Access Master's Report, Michigan Technological University, 2024.
Included in
Acoustics, Dynamics, and Controls Commons, Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Commons, Electro-Mechanical Systems Commons, Ocean Engineering Commons