Modeling and control of a slack-moored two-body wave energy converter with finite element analysis

Wave energy converter (WEC) detailed design and hydrodynamic analysis is unique, in some respects, because the analysis in dependent on the WEC's integral power-take-off (PTO) control which changes the physical properties of the device and the environment. This raises the complexity when using standard off-shore industry finite element analysis (FEA) tools. It is especially true of autonomous WECs that are smaller and have different design requirements then utility power generation WECs or other larger off-shore structures. This paper first quantifies the design requirements for an autonomous WEC, highlights the design choices that are crucial to the WEC control and analysis, then presents results from the WEC FEA analysis that uses integrated optimal control to maximize power absorption. A proposed equivalent linear circuit is compared against these FEA results¹.