Schaeffler UK on point for marine energy device buildout

 
Global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler UK is providing engineering support for the development of the WITT marine energy device that generates electricity from any form of movement.

Schaeffler UK is supplying a variety of bearings for the 200W marine WITT, being developed by Plymouth-based company Witt Ltd, including roller bearings, ball bearings and one-way clutches.

The technology behind the device uses two pendulums connected to a flywheel to generate electricity from movement in any direction.

In this version, the WITT energy device is fitted into a completely sealed 1.5-meter unit. As the marine WITT is a totally enclosed unit, Schaeffler UK said it was able to select standard bearings for most locations, minimizing the cost per kW of the device.

Stewart Davies, Principal Applications Engineer at Schaeffler UK, said: “There are approximately 25 different bearing locations on the 200W marine WITT device, some of which are bespoke in order to meet the restricted design envelopes in the application.”

The device produces electricity as the movement causes the two pendulums to swing. The pendulums are attached to a shaft which turns the flywheel connected to a generator to produce electricity.

The first working prototype of the device was tested recently on a shaker table at Southampton University, while the sea trials will follow over the next six months, according to Schaeffler.

The trials followed the Witt Ltd’s crowd-funding campaign in April, 2016, during which the company attracted just under £2.4 million of private investment to accelerate the manufacturing of the marine WITT.

The marine WITT energy device could provide power for a variety of offshore applications including large-scale survival units, desalination plants and offshore fish farms.

Aside from Schaeffler UK, Witt Ltd’s patented technology also has the backing of global partners including Ricardo, and Gibbs Gears, in addition to support from the Universities of Bristol, Plymouth and Southampton.