Tidal Effect Compensation System Design for High Range Sea Level Variations

• The working principle of the wave energy converter (WEC) from Uppsala University is a heaving point absorber with directly driven linear generator placed on the seabed. The heave motion of the buoy is transmitted to the generator via a steel cable. When tides occur, the sea level changes, and thus making the WEC works below optimal condition. This system is designed so that the WEC is able to work at sea level variation up to 8 meters. A compensation system is designed to continuously make the WEC work in its optimal condition even at different sea levels. We present a mechanical system and its control algorithm that monitor and control the length of the connecting line. The connecting line is consist of a steel wire and a steel chain connected together. The mechanical part of the system is the winch that retracts or releases the steel chain that connects the translator and the buoy at the water surface. The rotation of the winch is controlled by a motor with the help of microcontrollers and several sensors for accuracy and feedback. The result from simulation showed that the system works fine. The approach of compensating the wire length connecting the buoy and the translator allow more flexibility to WEC to work in the area with high sea level variation.

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