Wave energy conversion simulator

• Main Author: Chiang, Eugene Yuan Chin
• Other Authors: Gooi Hoay Beng
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60198
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Investment in renewable energy technology, such as wave energy, is gradually getting more recognition as a valuable and economically-viable preference over the present fossil-based power plants. This report presents an experiment conducted using a Motor-Generator (M-G) set to simulate the operation of a Wave Energy Converter (WEC). Simulations and tests were performed with 3 different depths 6m, 15m and 50m using 3 different devices as a reference for on-shore (Islay LIMPET), near-shore (Wave Roller) and off-shore (Pelamis) depth respectively. The wave energy profile was be incorporated into the software control system, LabVIEW 11.0, which in turn drives the induction motor which acts as a prime mover of the generator and obtaining output parameters from the microgrid. All simulation was ran based on an ideal scenario whereby no losses such as reflection, refraction and diffusion will be included. A study on the impact of the wave energy conversion from the microgrid was then be conducted to see how the power production changes with different wave conditions. It was later found that although the simulated output power varies with respect to the depth of the ocean, its varying output power was observed not to be linearly proportional to that of the expected output. This may be due to the limiting speed factor of the motor. In addition, there were also limitations found in the smart meter, producing digital waveforms and displaying an in-phase 3-phase power system. Further studies will have to be conducted in order to optimize the system and further recommendations can be found in the conclusion.