The document discusses wave energy and provides information on the following key points:
1. Waves are a concentrated form of solar energy generated by wind blowing across the sea surface. The energy within a wave is proportional to the square of its height.
2. Regions with the most potential for wave power include western coasts of Europe, northern Canada, southern Africa, Australasia, and northwestern US coasts.
3. The objectives of the wave energy device described are to provide a reliable, economical, and efficient device that can sustain extreme ocean conditions and generate electricity at full capacity without shutdowns.
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Harnessing the Power of Ocean Waves: An Overview of Wave Energy Technology
1.
2. What is Wave Energy?
Waves are the most concentrated form of solar energy. The Sun makes the wind blow. Waves
are generated by the wind as it blows across the sea surface. Energy is transferred from the
wind to the waves.
The energy within a wave is proportional to the square of the wave height, so a two-meter high
wave has four times the power of a one-meter high wave.
Wave power varies considerably in different parts of the world, and wave energy can't be
harnessed effectively everywhere. These regions are generally found in the temperate zones
(30-60 degrees latitude north and south of the equator). Wave-power rich areas of the world
include the western coasts of Europe, northern Canada, southern Africa, Australasia, and the
northwestern coasts of the United States.
4. Objectives
To provide a wave energy convertor device which alleviates all deficiencies associated with
other ocean wave energy technologies.
To provide a device for generating electrical energy using ocean waves which is easy to install &
maintain, reliable & economical to operate, converts maximum wave energy and can sustain
extreme ocean conditions.
To provide a device for generating electrical energy using ocean waves which is of reasonable
size and requires less space for installation.
To provide a device for generating electrical energy using ocean waves which generates
electricity at its full rated capacity during extreme conditions without the need for a shutdown
to keep up the overall capacity factor.
5. Device Structure
Multi-body mechanical device for generating electrical energy using ocean waves, comprising:
A tunnel like structure having two ends being named as first end and second end.
A pair of fixed floats being attached on each side of the first end of tunnel like structure.
A pair of articulated floats being attached on each side of the first end of tunnel like structure.
A turbine inside the tunnel like structure comprising of a rotating shaft and a unidirectional
rotor.
A direct drive generator being provided at the first end of tunnel like structure.
Anticipated size for a 1 MW system is - Column tunnel diameter: 10 Meters, Total length 50
Meters and Total width 30 Meters.
6.
7. Device Working
Once the floating device is installed offshore in the ocean, the passing waves transfer motion to
the articulated and fixed floats.
The movement of fixed and articulated floats in turn provide the driving force to move the
tunnel like structure up and down.
The up and down movement of the tunnel like structure enables the water column inside it to
oscillate in reference and the resulting forces drive the unidirectional turbine to rotate the direct
drive generator in one direction only.
8. Advantages – Invention v/s Existing
Its unique Articulated Floats help in capturing more energy from both components of wave.
Extra capture width of fixed floats also mean even further more transfer of wave energy.
Its articulated floats self-adjust the natural frequency to irregular wave conditions, which not
only helps to converge more power captured to run the turbine inside the tunnel (more energy
absorption) but will also detune itself automatically and ride the huge waves safely under
stormy conditions (better survivability)
No need for shut down under any conditions as the PTO cannot exceed its maximum rated RPM
by virtue of its design (more capacity factor). Also No rigid connections to the PTO, hence does
not suffer from end-stop issue which mostly poses damage to systems in extreme conditions.
Simple construction design with minimal moving parts. No gear box, hence no expensive
breakdowns. Transmission of pure torque to the direct drive generator (much better efficiency)
Normal, minimal routine maintenance and lesser operating costs. No cavitation problem as
turbine located in deep water (counteracted by positive pressure on the turbine blades)
Lower infrastructure cost associated for a wave farm (lesser power conditioning systems
required for grid compliance)
Lower anchorage and mooring costs. Slack mooring allows the device to self orient in the
predominant wave direction.
9. Unique Selling Proposition
The main USP of the device is the Uniturbine (Unidirectional Turbine) PTO
which directly uses water column to run the turbine as against all other
Oscillation Water Columns (OWCs) using air. This novel design lets the
device capture more energy - many times over, utilising the advantage of
high density of water and its incompressible nature as compared to air, for
the same diameter of turbine.
More reliability as compared to There is no need for shut down
hydraulic based PTO and under any condition as
smoother power compared to Uniturbine can not exceed its
other devices. The design of the maximum rated RPM by virtue of
turbine is kept simple to make it it's design. Thus keeping the
cost effective, efficient and overall capacity factor up to it's
reliable. maximum achievable.
10. Development Stages
PCT application published on WIPO website with all 8 claims passed for Novelty, Inventive step &
Industrial applicability by ISA
Stage-1 Proposal received after appraisal to develop the technology from one of the world's largest
consultants on Marine Energy
Approximate funding required from Simulation to Commercial = USD/GBP 8.0 Million
3+ years to roll out the full scale Prototype
Design & Trial Commercial
Simulation Testing
Development
12. Why Wave Energy?
Waves originate from storms far out in sea and can travel long distances without significant
energy loss, power produced from them is much steadier and more predictable, both day to day
and season to season. This reduces project risk;
Unlike wind and solar power, power from ocean waves continues to be produced around the
clock, whereas wind velocity tends to die in the morning and at night, and solar is only available
during the day in areas with relatively little cloud cover;
Wave energy contains roughly 1000 times the kinetic energy of wind, allowing much smaller
and less conspicuous devices to produce the same amount of power in a fraction of the space;
Wave power production is much smoother and more consistent than wind or solar, resulting in
higher overall capacity factors;
Wave energy varies as the square of wave height, whereas wind power varies with the cube of
air speed. Water being 850 times as dense as air, results in much higher power production from
waves averaged over time.
14. Global Wave Energy Averages
Average wave energy (est.) in kW/m (kW per meter of wave length)
15. Wave Energy- Potential
Worldwide theoretical potential of 44,000 TWh/year estimated conservatively by IEA
(International Energy Agency)
200,000 MW installed wave and tidal energy power forecast by 2050, DTI & Carbon Trust (UK)
Wave energy resource of 50 Twh/y in UK alone which represents 12.4% of their Electricity
Generation, DECC (UK)
17. Ocean Wave Energy Technologies
A variety of technologies have been proposed to capture the energy from waves. Some of the
promising designs that are undergoing demonstration testing at near-commercial stages.
1. Terminators
2. Floating Point Absorbers
3. Attenuators
4. Overtopping Device
18. 1. Terminators
Terminator devices extend perpendicular to the direction of wave travel and capture or reflect
the power of the wave. These devices are typically onshore or nearshore; however, floating
versions have been designed for offshore applications.
19. 2. Floating Point Absorbers
A point absorber is a floating structure with components that move relative to each other due
to wave action. The relative motion is used to drive electromechanical or hydraulic energy
converters.
20. 3. Attenuators
Attenuators are long multi-segment floating structures oriented parallel to the direction of the
waves. The differing heights of waves along the length of the device causes flexing where the
segments connect, and this flexing is connected to hydraulic pumps or other converters.
21. 4. Overtopping Device
Overtopping devices have reservoirs that are filled by incoming waves to levels above the
average surrounding ocean. The water is then released, and gravity causes it to fall back
toward the ocean surface. The energy of the falling water is used to turn hydro turbines.
24. Potential
The realistically usable worldwide resource has been estimated to be greater than 2 TW.
Locations with the most potential for wave power include the western seaboard of Europe, the
northern coast of the UK, and the Pacific coastlines of North and South America, Southern
Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
The north and south temperate zones have the best sites for capturing wave power. The
prevailing westerlies in these zones blow strongest in winter.
25. Wave Energy Market
The realizable potential for wave and tidal together is estimated to be a maximum of about
25% of the total world demand for electricity, though the theoretical potential is much higher.
In terms of market value, the potential market for wave energy is worth about $1 trillion
worldwide, according to the World Energy Council. In the United States alone, wave technology
could supply 6.5 percent of the nation's energy.
There have been estimates that investments of over ₤500 billion would be necessary for wave
energy to contribute 2000 TWh per year worldwide. This is broadly equivalent to the existing
deployed markets for nuclear and hydroelectric power.
Wave energy technologies are the most heavily researched and funded sector in the ocean
power industry, enabling companies to create lucrative opportunities when compared with other
sectors of the energy industry which are more mature.
At present there is little design consensus for wave energy devices with no industry standard
device concept. Due to the diverse nature of the wave resource it appears unlikely that there
will be one single device concept that is used.
Wave energy industry today is in its infancy, when wind was also about the same 20 years ago,
and now poised to grow just as huge.
27. Why to invest in Wave Energy?
Analysis of global supply of conventional fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, reveals that deposits
are dwindling, and their prices are increasing. It is predicted that renewable energy sources,
including wave, will fill the resultant vacuum.
Demand side analysis shows positive indicators, both for global energy demand as well as
global renewable energy demand. Forecast demands for wave energy, which are specified by
targets, are also healthy.
Capex has reduced for most renewables with time, due to learning curves.
Although costs can be a considerable barrier, much effort has been made by national
governments to provide support mechanisms for the young wave energy industry. Support
mechanisms consist of feed-in tariffs, grants and national targets. The drivers for policy makers
in government to provide these support mechanisms are many and encouraging for the wave
energy investor.