Wave Energy Conversion: Simulation Verification and Linearization of Direct Drive Wave Energy Converter with Variable DC-link Voltage Control

Abstract

Lowering the cost of wave energy conversion is an essential task for it to succeed as a future energy resource. In this work a converter, assumed cheaper than the regular back to back converter setting, have been investigated for a electric direct drive point absorber. Both experimental work and simulations are used in the analysis. In the experimental work, a permanent magnet generator with a 6-pulse diode rectifier, a DC-link and a DC/DC converter equivalent, was used. Steady state, dynamic and transient measurements were preformed and a simulation model was compared to the measurements. Good results were obtained and deviations were in general small, mostly +-3% for voltage and current measurements and +-8% for torque measurements. Based on transient measurements and simulations a general linearization of the system was made in order to obtain useful information about the system. A step up converter was used in the simulation and it demonstrated stable passive loading control. By using the information obtained by the linearization, the performance of the simulation model was improved by decreasing the DC-link capacitance. The modified simulation model had significant less torque ripple than the initial. The linearization model also can been used to identify time delay represented by the power take off unit in a wave energy converter. This will be done for a commercial size wave energy converter summer 2009.