The Waveswing America team, one of the finalists in the Wave Energy Prize challenge, is preparing its 1:20 scale wave energy device model ahead of June testing at Carderock MASK basin.
The team is developing subsea pressure-differential point-absorber wave energy device, and at the moment, they’re busy designing the 1:20 scale model and the associated control system.
In parallel with this, Waveswing America team is further validating the computational models of the device and advancing the controls strategies to maximize production.
The work is being complemented by parallel work on hydrodynamics and computational modelling of the device being carried out for Wave Energy Scotland .
“Because our device is relatively small at full-scale, design at model scale is challenging, particularly due to the scaling effects with regards to mass.
“We have however found off-the-shelf components which will meet the required specifications and we are now integrating these into the model design. The team recognizes the importance of pre-testing ahead of the prize runs at Carderock and so we are busy planning for this activity during June,” Waveswing America stated.
Waveswing America seeks to demonstrate the benefits of subsea pressure-differential point absorber wave power generators for the production of utility scale power from offshore ocean sites.
The technology the team is developing takes a highly efficient point-absorber concept and combines it with efficient linear generator technology and advanced control algorithms to maximise yield, with the potential ratings of 500 kW and above, according to Waveswing America.
The team, along with 8 others, was selected a finalist for the Wave Energy Prize following the review conducted by a panel of expert judges who evaluated each qualified team based on their revised technical submissions, numerical modeling results, model design and construction plans, and the results of small-scale tank testing of their 1:50 scale models.
The team that ranks the highest after testing the 1:20 scaled WEC device model at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Maneuvering and Seakeeping (MASK) wave-making facility at Carderock, Maryland, will be awarded $1.5 million. The second team will win an award in the amount of $500,000, and the third-placed tam will be awarded $250,000.
Take a look at he video showing 1:50 scale testing of Waveswing America’s WEC conducted at the Hydrodynamics Research facility at the University of Iowa in January this year.