Sea Potential works on DUO WEC optimization

Sea Potential, one of the finalist teams competing in Wave Energy Prize challenge, is focusing on the optimization of their 1:20 scale DUO wave energy converter ahead of summer tank testing at MASK basin in Maryland.

Sea Potential is developing a multi-mode power capture point absorber wave energy converter called DUO.

The DUO wave energy converter is a new design concept that simultaneously captures power from both the heave and the pitch/surge motions induced by wave action.

The DUO’s patented configuration, which connects oscillating bodies with angled pre-tensioned cable linkages and a power take-off system, enables power capture from pitch motions to be exploited simultaneously with heave motions.

The DUO’s primary power absorption is achieved by damping the relative heave and rotational motions of the oscillating structures.

The additional modes of power capture have the potential for increased efficiency in terms of energy capture per unit cost compared to devices operating in a single mode or single direction.

The increased power capture and the associated engineering innovations can produce major reductions to the costs of generating electricity from wave energy resources, according to Sea Potential.

The team is working on the optimization of the 1:20 scale model, by analyzing the data from 1:50 tests conducted at University of Iowa, and numerical modelling using the advanced coupled analysis features of Wood Group Kenny’s Flexcom, and according to the team, the data has helped in identifying some small structural improvements that will increase the ACE (benefit-to-cost) metric for the 1:20 model.

Flexcom coupled analysis capabilities also present key to optimizing the mooring design for the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Maneuvering and Seakeeping (MASK) basin, which will be important for the HPQ score that will determine prize winners from the teams that can exceed the 3.0 m/$m threshold, Sea Potential team informed.

The other software Sea Potential are employing for the optimization work is the new techno-economic software from Exceedence. The Sea Potential team states that the ‘Goal Seek’ and ‘Sensitivity’ modules of Exceedence software have enabled them to identify where specific improvements can be made for the range incident wave conditions for the upcoming 1:20 scale testing.

The winner(s) of Wave Energy Prize challenge are expected to be announced in November. The team that ranks the highest after testing the 1:20 scaled WEC device model 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.