A practical approach to wave energy modeling and control
- Ryan G. Coe ,
- Giorgio Bacelli ,
- Dominic Forbush
Abstract
The potential for control design to dramatically improve the economic
viability of wave energy has generated a great deal of interest and
excitement. However, for a number of reasons, the promised benefits from
better control designs have yet to be widely realized by wave energy
devices and wave energy remains a relatively nascent technology. This
brief paper summarizes a simple, yet powerful approach to wave energy
dynamics modeling, and subsequent control design based on impedance
matching. Our approach leverages the same concepts that are exploited by
a simple FM radio to achieve a feedback controller for wave energy
devices that approaches optimal power absorption. If fully utilized,
this approach can deliver immediate and consequential reductions to the
cost of wave energy. Additionally, this approach provides the necessary
framework for control co-design of a WEC, in which an understanding of
the control logic allows for synchronous design of the device control
system and hardware.