Co-design Investigation and Optimization of an Oscillating-Surge Wave Energy Converter

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dc.contributor.authorGrasberger, Jeffrey Thomasen
dc.contributor.committeechairZuo, Leien
dc.contributor.committeememberBacelli, Giorgioen
dc.contributor.committeememberTafti, Danesh K.en
dc.contributor.departmentMechanical Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-20T09:00:11Zen
dc.date.available2023-01-20T09:00:11Zen
dc.date.issued2023-01-19en
dc.description.abstractOcean wave energy has the potential to play a crucial role in the shift to renewable energy. In order to improve wave energy conversion techniques, a recognition of the sub-optimal nature of traditional sequential design processes due to the interconnectedness of subsystems such as the geometry, power take-off, and controls is necessary. A codesign optimization in this paper seeks to include effects of all subsystems within one optimization loop in order to reach a fully optimal design for an oscillating-surge wave energy converter. A width and height sweep serves as a brute force geometry optimization while optimizing the power take-off components and controls using a pseudo-spectral method for each geometry. An investigation of electrical power and mechanical power maximization also outlines the contrasting nature of the two objectives to illustrate electrical power maximization's importance for identifying optimality. The codesign optimization leads to an optimal design with a width of 12 m and a height of 10 m. The power take-off and controls systems are also examined more in depth to identify important areas for increased focus during detailed design. Ultimately, the codesign optimization leads to a 61.4% increase in the objective function over the optimal design from a sequential design process while also requiring about half the power take-off torque.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralOcean wave energy has the potential to play a crucial role in the shift to renewable energy sources. The Earth's vast oceans have immense energy potentials throughout the world, which often follow the seasonal trends of electricity demand in temperate climates. Wave energy harvesting is a technology which has been studied significantly, but has not yet experienced commercial success, partially due to the lack of convergence on a type of wave energy converter. In order to improve wave energy conversion techniques and support the convergence on a particular type, a recognition of the sub-optimal nature of traditional sequential design processes due to the interconnectedness of subsystems is necessary. A codesign optimization in this paper seeks to include effects of all subsystems within one optimization loop in order to reach a fully optimal design for an oscillating-surge wave energy converter. A width and height sweep serves as a brute force geometry optimization while optimizing the power take-off and control components for each geometry. The codesign optimization leads to an optimal design with a width of 12 m and a height of 10 m. Ultimately, the codesign optimization leads to a 62% increase in performance over the result from a sequential design process.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:36148en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/113289en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectOcean Wave Energyen
dc.subjectOscillating-Surge WECen
dc.subjectControl Co-designen
dc.subjectOptimizationen
dc.titleCo-design Investigation and Optimization of an Oscillating-Surge Wave Energy Converteren
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineMechanical Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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