Abstract
This paper investigates on a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) named Energy & Protection, 4th generation (EP4). The WEC couples the energy harvesting function with the purpose of protecting the coast from erosion. It is formed by a flap rolling with a single degree of freedom around a lower hinge. Small-scale tests were carried out in the wave flume of the maritime group of Padua University, aiming at the evaluation of the device efficiency. The test peculiarity is represented by the system used to simulate the Power Take Off (PTO). Such dummy PTO permits a free rotation of two degrees before engaging the shaft, allowing the flap to gain some inertia, and then applying a constant resistive moment. The EP4 was observed to reach a 35% efficiency, under short regular waves. The effects, in terms of coastal protection, are small but not negligible, at least for the shortest waves.
Highlights
The availability of renewable energy in the oceans [1] has long inspired many inventors of wave energy converters
Due to scarce wave energy resources in the Italian seas [3,4], for many years the Italian contribution to the development of wave energy converters has been limited to the pioneering work of Boccotti, through the REWEC 3 J-type Wave Energy Converter (WEC), patented in 1998 [5]
The first WECs developed in the North European Countries reached a rather high technological readiness level [6,7] but suffered from the harsh oceanic environment at demonstration phase
Summary
The availability of renewable energy in the oceans [1] has long inspired many inventors of wave energy converters. Many developers eventually closed their companies or suspended their activities, losing part of their competitive advantage in favor of more recent concepts, so that it is not too late to start with new patents. Other devices have not published the tests in the scientific literature, but were presented to business events, e.g., 40South Energy (through several devices, the most recent being the interesting H24 module, http://www.40southenergy.com/2018/09/2294/), Swaths, Generma, Onda, WaveAbsorber, WEM/WOM, EP4 The last of these devices is the one studied in this paper. To maintain the same overall dynamic behavior, a system is used that just mimics the damping and resistance effects, restraining the WEC movements in similitude to the physical PTO The conclusions are drawn, with some comments on future developments
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