U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership: Control Co-Design of Heterogeneous Arrays of Wave Energy Converters

该项目通过研究可再生海浪能量收集的新方法，促进了科学的进步和国家的繁荣。海洋是巨大的能量储存库。海浪能量转换器捕捉海浪能，并将其转化为电能。尽管潜力巨大，但这项技术还不成熟，与其他可再生能源相比，目前波浪发电的成本很高。波能转换器通常以相同单元阵列的形式部署。这些单元被控制以提高阵列的效率，以更低的成本收集电力。然而，缺乏适当的科学和技术来概念化和设计阵列中的几个单元和海洋之间的深度相互依存关系。为了应对这些挑战，该项目在美国、爱尔兰共和国和北爱尔兰的研究人员之间建立了合作，旨在产生创新并使波能转换器能够以更低的成本生产电力。本项目从一个新的角度对波能转换器阵列进行研究，设计和控制单元阵列，以有利的方式改变波场。这一研究成果将对国民经济和社会产生积极的影响。该项目还将教育和研究联系起来，为本科生提供国际经验，并通过一个旨在提高高中生知识水平的外展计划，积极影响社会。在波能转换器阵列中，由于动态建模困难，自动控制是最迫切也是最少被研究的问题之一。另一个挑战是电力输出装置对无功的需求；也就是说，输出装置有时应该将电力送入海洋，以便在其他时间可以获得更多的电力。该奖项旨在通过分析、数值和实验在根本层面上解决这些挑战。将研究一种新的建模方法，将表面压力作为模型的输入，而不是经典使用的波高。将分析在不同阵列单元之间同时优化几何和控制对其总体性能的影响。将利用非线性水动力来改善该非均质阵列的性能。为了实现这些目标，将开发三种交错的方法：最优控制分析、数字控制联合设计优化和实验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project promotes the progress of science and advances national prosperity, by studying novel approaches to renewable ocean wave energy harvesting. Oceans are colossal reservoirs of energy. Ocean wave energy converters capture wave power and convert it to electric power. Despite its potential, this technology is not yet mature, and the current cost of wave power is high compared to other renewable energy sources. Wave energy converters are usually deployed in the form of arrays of identical units. These units are controlled to increase the efficiency of the array in harvesting power at a lower cost. However, there is a lack of appropriate science and technology to conceptualize and design for the deep interdependencies among the several units in the array and the ocean. To address these challenges, this project establishes collaboration among researchers in the United States, Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland that aims to generate innovation and enable wave energy converters to produce power at a lower cost. The project investigates the wave energy converter arrays from a new perspective in which the array of units is designed and controlled to change the wave field in a favorable way. The results from this research will benefit the national economy and society. This project also links education and research, providing international experience for undergraduate students, and positively impacts society via an outreach program that aims to raise the knowledge level among high school students. In arrays of wave energy converters, automatic control is one of the most pressing problems and least studied because of dynamic modelling difficulties. Another challenge is the need for reactive power in the power take-off units; that is, take-off units should put power into the ocean at times such that more power can be harvested at other times. This award aims to connect efforts to address these challenges analytically, numerically, and experimentally on a fundamental level. A new modeling approach will be investigated that assumes the surface pressure as input to the model, instead of the classically used wave elevation. The impact of simultaneously optimizing both geometry and control, among different array units, on its collective performance will be analyzed. Nonlinear hydrodynamic forces will be leveraged for improved performance of this heterogeneous array. To achieve these objectives, three interlaced approaches will be developed: optimal control analysis, numerical control co-design optimization, and experimentation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.