Abstract
This paper presents a design, modeling and control of a novel wave energy converter (WEC) using Dielectric electro active polymer (DEAP). Application of DEAP in WEC has attracted a lot of works due to development of renewable energy and increasing of human energy demand. However, various challenges of the WEC using DEAP must be overcome before going to realistic application. Firstly, stretch ratio has significant influence on energy conversion efficiency of DEAP. It cannot exceed the limitation value due to mechanical or electrical breakdown, whereas small stretch ratio reduces the energy conversion efficiency significant. Secondly, WEC has to be controlled to maximize the absorbed energy. Therefore, this study employs an innovative device which can adjust the inertia of the floating buoy. A variable inertia hydraulic flywheel is attached on the main thrust shaft to control stretch ratio based on change in the hydrodynamic behavior of the system. A proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller is designed to optimize stretch ratio under different regular waves. Consequently, the overall energy conversion efficiency of the proposed WEC can reach up to 25%.
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Abbreviations
- a :
-
Buoy radius
- A :
-
Wave amplitude
- A r :
-
Instantaneous orifice passage area
- A p :
-
Pipe section area
- A w :
-
The water plane area
- b :
-
draft
- β :
-
Bulk modulus
- C :
-
Capacitance
- C 1,2 :
-
DEAP Parameters
- C dr :
-
Drag coef?cient
- C v :
-
Viscous drag coefficient
- C f :
-
The flow discharge coefficient
- c g :
-
The group velocity
- c v :
-
The transition approximation coefficient
- D p :
-
Hydraulic pump displacement
- E :
-
The magnitude of the electric field
- e :
-
The mean wave energy density
- e c :
-
Charging energy
- e cyc :
-
Harvested energy in a cycle
- e d :
-
Discharging energy
- ε 0 :
-
the permittivity of free space
- ε r :
-
the relative dielectric constant
- ε 33 :
-
Hydrodynamic parameters for the radiation
- F br :
-
The breakaway friction force
- F c :
-
The Coulomb friction force
- F D :
-
DEAP reactive force
- F e :
-
The excitation force
- F el :
-
Elastic recovering force
- F f :
-
The friction force
- F h :
-
The hydrodynamic force
- F me :
-
Maxwell force
- F v :
-
The viscous damping force
- F u :
-
The user’s force from PTO system
- h :
-
Water depth
- η v :
-
Volumetric efficiency of hydraulic pump
- η t :
-
the total efficiency
- I fl :
-
Flywheel inertia
- K eq :
-
Equivalent stiffness
- k :
-
Wave number
- λ :
-
Stretch ratio
- λ w :
-
Wave length
- M a :
-
Added mass
- M b :
-
Buoy mass
- M eq :
-
Equivalent mass
- M s :
-
Supplementary mass
- N :
-
Number of ADG
- n :
-
Pump speed
- n p :
-
Pump speed
- p s :
-
Supplied fluid pressure
- p pre :
-
Gas pre-charge pressure
- p set :
-
Setting pressure of relief valve
- P w :
-
Mean wave power
- Q :
-
Electric charges
- Q d :
-
Discharge flowrate
- Q p :
-
The pump flowrate
- Q r :
-
Flowrate through the relief valve
- R r :
-
Radiation damping coefficient
- R f :
-
Viscous friction coefficient
- R u :
-
User’s coefficient
- r h :
-
Flywheel radius
- r pi :
-
Pinion radius
- ρ :
-
Density of sea water
- ρ h :
-
Density of hydraulic fluid
- σ me :
-
Maxwell stress
- σ el :
-
Elastic stress
- l 0 :
-
Initial length
- t :
-
Thickness
- S :
-
The active electrode surface
- S b :
-
The hydrostatic stiffness
- V c :
-
Charge voltage
- V vol :
-
Volume of DEAP material
- V f :
-
Volume of hydraulic chamber
- V 0 :
-
Initial volume of fluid
- V pre :
-
Pre-charge volume of gas chamber
- ψ :
-
the wave elevation
- w 0 :
-
DEAP width
- ω :
-
Wave angular frequency
- ω n :
-
PTO natural frequency
- ω p :
-
Pump rotational speed
- X 0 :
-
Stretch ratio at equilibrium position
- z(t) :
-
Buoy acceleration
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Binh, P.C., Ahn, K.K. Performance optimization of dielectric electro active polymers in wave energy converter application. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 17, 1175–1185 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-016-0141-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-016-0141-6