Experimental study for evaluating the response of the power take off of a point absorber wave energy generation system using a hydraulic wave simulator

The increase in energy prices and the need to control the rate of climate change are two of the biggest challenges facing the planet. Despite the fact that the wave energy technology is still in its infancy, it is considered one of the most promising renewable energy sources that exhibits a large potential for sustainable growth towards Net Zero. In this paper, a novel design methodology for a new wave energy generation system is presented and the performance of its power take-off (PTO) or drivetrain is analysed. A complete description of the wave energy generation system is presented including the general concept of the power take-off, configuration, mechanical design, electrical system, simulation test-rig, expected power out and the force load on the system. The results from the power take-off system obtained from the simulation process of the test-rig using a hydraulic linear wave simulator, show that the change in the electric load produces different power and force values and consequently a wide range of efficiencies. It has been noticed that increasing the electric load leads to a better efficiency, i.e., high power and force values. However, there is a certain threshold where the system stops behaving in its high performance and its efficiency drops notably. This threshold depends not only on the electric load, but also on the values of the fixed parameters, i.e., wave cycle time, wave height and frequency. The finding will support the complete design of a point absorber system, including the buoy design, to interact with the expected level of wave patterns.