This STTR Phase 1 project enables the development and validation of a fully operational hydraulic Power Conversion Chain (PCC) designed specifically for an ocean Wave Energy Converter (WEC). A WEC's PCC is responsible for converting absorbed mechanical power to electrical power. Ocean wave energy is currently an underutilized resource that has the potential to become an important part of a renewable energy mix providing power up to a third of the US while reducing carbon emissions alongside with wind and solar power. However, device survivability is a key challenge that has thus far held the wave energy industry back. This project includes the testing and validation of various hydraulic safety mechanisms, advancing the PCC as part of a broader strategy for WEC survivability. This STTR Phase 1 project will directly support the development and validation of a Power Conversion Chain (PCC) as part of a larger effort to design, construct, and test a full-scale Wave Energy Converter (WEC) prototype in an ocean deployment. The PCC will be tested using a hardware-in-the-loop approach, in which a computer simulation of the WEC is coupled directly to the physical PCC elements. This real-time feedback will allow the PCC's performance to be evaluated for realistic ocean wave climates, and will facilitate rapid testing of critical safety mechanisms using the actual components in a safe laboratory environment. Results from the tests will be compared with a high-fidelity computer model of the PCC to validated performance. Once proven, the PCC will be incorporated into a revolutionary WEC design, which offers superior storm survivability and power consistency.
