Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Open Access Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Advisor 1
Gordon G. Parker
Committee Member 1
Tania Demonte Gonzalez
Committee Member 2
Chad M. Walber
Abstract
Buoy geometry greatly affects a point absorber wave energy converter's dynamic response to waves. Finding the optimal buoy shape and control method remains an open research area focused on maximizing the conversion of wave kinetic energy into electricity. This work presents an experimental comparison of closed-loop energy extraction between a cylindrical and a truncated cone buoy, both with the same submerged volume, across various wave frequencies and amplitudes. To ensure a fair comparison, the optimal rate feedback gain is calculated for each buoy at each wave condition. Multiple metrics, including power output, capture width, and actuator force, are used to evaluate energy extraction performance. When wave frequency increases from 0.4 to 1 Hz, the cylindrical buoy’s power increases by only about 10% from its lowest value. In contrast, the truncated cone buoy’s power increases by approximately 13 times, performing worse than the cylinder at low frequencies but surpassing it at 1 Hz.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Halverson, James R., "Experimental Rate Feedback Control of a Model-Scale Hourglass-Shaped Heaving Point Absorber", Open Access Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2026.