Wave Energy Excitation Force Estimation via State Observers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wave-energy systems face challenges in accurately measuring the excitation force of waves in real-time, which is crucial for optimizing energy recovery, due to the complexity and cost of existing methods, and existing solutions provide delayed or limited frequency-range estimations.
Innovation Solution
A method that estimates the excitation force by constructing models of radiation force and system dynamics using kinematic measurements, allowing for real-time determination across the entire wave frequency range, utilizing equations and state observers to calculate the excitation force based on position, speed, and force measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure measurements are obtained from sensors distributed over the whole surface to calculate wave forces, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary measurement points (position and acceleration of the floating body) from the comprehensive pressure field measurement approach. Instead of distributing sensors over the whole surface, it isolates the critical dynamic parameters that can be measured at a single location or few locations, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to calculate excitation force through mathematical modeling.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical system of distributed pressure sensors with a computational approach using mathematical models. By substituting physical measurement infrastructure with algorithmic processing of kinematic data (position and acceleration measurements), the system achieves force calculation without the complexity of extensive sensor networks.
2Device complexity
If a fixed frequency range is chosen for wave spectrum analysis, then calculation complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates for waves outside this range
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a dynamic frequency adaptation mechanism where the frequency range for wave spectrum analysis is not fixed but adjusts according to the actual wave conditions. The system continuously identifies the dominant frequency components in the incident waves and configures the analysis bandwidth accordingly, allowing it to maintain high precision across varying wave spectra while managing calculation complexity through adaptive rather than exhaustive analysis.
3Measurement precision
If a large number of frequencies are taken into account to work in realistic conditions, then measurement precision is improved, but calculation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies partial action by selectively analyzing only the frequency components that are actually present and significant in the wave spectrum, rather than computing across the entire possible frequency range. By identifying and focusing computational resources on the relevant frequency band where wave energy is concentrated, the system achieves accurate excitation force estimation without the excessive calculation burden of analyzing all possible frequencies.
4Measurement precision
If the float is kept still to measure excitation force directly, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to inability to operate during normal conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces mathematical models and computational algorithms as intermediaries between the operating system and the excitation force measurement. Instead of requiring direct physical measurement during stationary conditions, the system uses measured kinematic parameters (position, acceleration) during normal operation as inputs to computational models that calculate the excitation force, thereby enabling continuous operation without sacrificing measurement capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the real-time determination of the forces applied by waves incident upon the moving part (2) of a wave-energy system (1). The method according to the invention is based on the construction of a model of the radiation force applied to the moving part (2) and a model of the dynamics of the wave-energy system (1). The invention uses only measurements of the kinematics of the moving part (2) and the force applied by the conversion machine (3) to the moving part (2).