FOSWEC

2022

1. Design and testing of a free floating dual flap wave energy converter

   Dominic D. Forbush, Giorgio Bacelli, Steven J. Spencer, Ryan G. Coe, Bret Bosma, and Pedro Lomonaco

   Energy, Feb 2022

   Abs DOI Bib HTML

   With a wide variety of wave energy device archetypes currently under consideration, it is a major challenge to ensure that research findings and methods are broadly applicable. In particular, the design and testing of wave energy control systems, a process which includes experimental design, empirical modeling, control design, and performance evaluation, is of interest. This goal motivated the redesign and testing of a floating dual flap wave energy converter. As summarized in this paper, the steps taken in the design, testing, and analysis of the device mirrored those previously demonstrated on a three-degree of freedom point absorber device. The method proposed does not require locking WEC degrees of freedom to develop an excitation model, and presents a more attainable system identification procedure for at-sea deployments. The results show that the methods employed work well for this dual flap device, lending additional support for the broad applicability of the design and testing methods applied here. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that these models are particularly useful for deducing areas of device design or controller implementation that can be reasonably improved to increase device power capture.

   @article{Forbush:2022aa,
     author = {Forbush, Dominic D. and Bacelli, Giorgio and Spencer, Steven J. and Coe, Ryan G. and Bosma, Bret and Lomonaco, Pedro},
     bibtex_show = true,
     date = {2020},
     date-added = {2020-10-07 12:35:17 -0600},
     date-modified = {2025-06-25 12:01:07 -0600},
     doi = {10.1016/j.energy.2021.122485},
     groups = {AdvWecCntrls Pubs},
     issn = {0360-5442},
     journal = {Energy},
     keywords = {Wave energy, Feedback control, System identification, Frequency domain},
     month = feb,
     pages = {122485},
     title = {Design and testing of a free floating dual flap wave energy converter},
     url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544221027341},
     volume = {240},
     year = {2022},
     bdsk-url-1 = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544221027341},
     bdsk-url-2 = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.122485}
   }

2020

1. FOSWEC dynamics and controls test report

   Ryan G. Coe, Giorgio Bacelli, Dominic Forbush, Steven J. Spencer, Kevin Dullea, Bret Bosma, and Pedro Lomonaco

   , Albuquerque, NM, Oct 2020

   Abs DOI Bib HTML

   This report describes the testing of a model scale wave energy converter. This device, which uses two aps that pivot about a central platform when excited by waves, has a natural frequency within the range of the waves by which it is excited. The primary goal of this test was to assess the degree to which previously developed modeling, experimentation, and control design methods could be applied to a broad range of wave energy converter designs. Testing was conducted to identify a dynamic model for the impedance and excitation behavior of the device. Using these models, a series of closed loop tests were conducted using a causal impedance matching controller. This report provides a brief description of the results, as well as a summary of the device and ex- perimental design. The results show that the methods applied to this experimental device perform well and should be broadly applicable.

   @techreport{Coe:2020ab,
     address = {Albuquerque, NM},
     author = {Coe, Ryan G. and Bacelli, Giorgio and Forbush, Dominic and Spencer, Steven J. and Dullea, Kevin and Bosma, Bret and Lomonaco, Pedro},
     bibtex_show = true,
     date-added = {2020-10-07 12:35:05 -0600},
     date-modified = {2025-10-02 07:52:30 -0600},
     doi = {10.2172/1717884},
     groups = {AdvWecCntrls Pubs},
     institution = {Sandia National Laboratories},
     location = {Albuquerque, NM},
     month = oct,
     number = {SAND2020-11695},
     title = {{FOSWEC} dynamics and controls test report},
     url = {https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1717884/},
     year = {2020},
     bdsk-url-1 = {https://doi.org/10.2172/1717884}
   }