Statistical analysis of power output from a single heaving buoy WEC for different sea states

Abstract

Output power fluctuations from a wave energy converter (WEC) utilizing the principle of an oscillating body are unavoidable due to the reciprocating movement of the translator inside the generator. Moreover, the wave energy flux largely varies with time and propagates with the wave group velocity. Making use of the oscillating output power is a challenge for many wave energy conversion concepts. Therefore, estimation of the output power from a WEC solely by the mean power does not fully reflect the process of energy conversion, especially, by a direct drive linear generator. In the present paper, the output power from the WEC with a linear generator power take-off (PTO) is considered as a stochastic process, and the WEC performance is evaluated from the statistical point of view and related to the linear generator’s (LG) stroke length. Statistics as mean, standard deviation, relative standard deviation, maximum, and mode are found for different sea states. All statistics have shown an expected overall tendency with a rising significant wave height of incoming waves. As the significant wave height increases, statistics of the power output such as mean, standard deviation, maximum, and quantile are increasing, and the mode is decreasing beside the mode for the sea state C. It has been noted that for a significant wave height equal to the LG’s stroke length, the mode is greater than the same values for sea states of other significant wave heights. The results are based on a full-scale offshore experiment and may be used for the design of energy conversion systems based on a linear generator PTO.