Wavepiston set to launch wave-powered desalination system in Canary Islands

Danish company Wavepiston has completed the wave energy-powered desalination system set-up on the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) test platform, which is now ready for offshore works.

With piping and wiring in place, Wavepiston’s two containers for power generation and desalination are ready to receive pressurized seawater from the energy collectors and lead the water back into the ocean following electricity generation and desalination via reverse osmosis, the company informed.

Work is continuing on the piping offshore the platform, with divers engaged for the underwater assembly, Wavepiston noted.

Dry testing of the monitoring system has also been completed successfully, according to Wavepiston, which said the system is now ready to go for testing in water.

Steps are also being taken to prepare for installation of the full-scale system in the sea later in 2022 with assembly of the anchors and preparing all mooring items, Wavepiston said.

Wavepiston’s wave energy system consists of energy collectors placed in the ocean. The energy collectors produce pressurized seawater which is transported to the shore where power generation and reverse osmosis units for desalination are located.

The company also said it is continuing the simulation work of the system as part of the VALID project.

Called ‘digital twin’, the simulations are said to be crucial for the physical and virtual testing, including understanding the hydraulics and forces on the system.

“Our team has created the first version of a numerical model that simulates the movement and pressure variations in the hydraulic rams.

“We have also designed a physical platform for testing hydraulic rams at realistic speeds and pressures.

“Upon completion, this will be mounted with a hydraulic ram which will be moved according to the numerical predictions.

“The platform will feed back performance data, including pressure, leak volume and friction, into the hybrid model,” Wavepiston said.

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