Optimizing the hydraulic power take-off system in a wave energy converter
S. Zeinali, Magnus Wiktorsson, Jan Forsberg, Georg Lindgren, Johan Lindström
Abstract
This study aims to determine the optimal pressure for the accumulator tank in a wave energy converter (WEC) with hydraulic power take-off (PTO) to maximize energy generation. A simulation-based approach was employed to analyze the buoy’s performance with wave data generated from the Wafo toolbox using the generalized Pierson–Moskowitz (GPM) spectrum. These data were then fed into a Simulink model of the WEC system. Using output from the Simulink model, concave regression was applied to model the relationship between tank pressure and power output. Subsequently, a regression analysis was performed to model the optimal pressure as a function of wave steepness. The findings indicate a strong dependency of optimal pressure on wave steepness, suggesting that adjusting the accumulator tank pressure according to wave conditions can significantly enhance the WEC’s energy output. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of WECs and provides valuable insights for developing adaptive control strategies in WEC systems.