Optimal damping profiles for a heaving buoy wave-energy converter

Nolan, G.A. and Ringwood, J.V. and Leithead, William and Butler, S. (2005) Optimal damping profiles for a heaving buoy wave-energy converter. International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference Proceedings, 1. pp. 477-485. ISSN 1098-6189 (https://doi.org/10.3182/20100915-3-DE-3008.00067)

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Abstract

This paper explores optimal damping profiles for a heaving buoy wave energy converter (WEC). The approach is mathematical and the model of Eidsmoen (1995) is used as a basis. In order to permit analytical development, the model is initially simplified and an optimal damping profile is determined using numerical optimization. Having found the optimal damping profile, a semi-analytical solution methodology is developed to determine the optimal damping parameters. Finally, the procedure is validated on the original model and some aspects related to the control problem are addressed.