SBIR Phase I: A novel small-scale wave energy converter for marine equipment or emergency devices

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响是为海洋中使用的技术提供动力：飓风猎人、智能浮标、气象站、海洋互联网中心和无人水下航行器。该项目旨在创造一种低成本、小规模的波浪能转换器（WEC），可以从海浪运动中产生电能，并为附近的设备供电。不幸的是，太阳能电池板不能在光线不足的情况下运行，而且会消耗大量的面积，风力涡轮机也很难在海上安装和稳定。将进行一项研究，以确定如何在受控波槽中最大化WEC在不同波浪条件下的能量输出，并与模拟结果进行比较。一个精确的数学模型将被构建并用于指导产品的开发。WEC产品可以被紧急救援小组用来为无线电或手机供电。它可以为收集天气数据和跟踪即将到来的飓风的海洋仪器提供动力，也可以为用于监测和保护我国海岸线的海上设备提供动力。拟议的项目旨在开发一种创新和紧凑的波浪能转换器（WEC），可以为海洋仪器、应急设备或消费电子产品提供小型电力。这项创新使用了一种定制的齿轮排列，将微小的波浪运动放大成旋转能量，用于为发电机提供动力。计算机算法和执行器将通过修改机器的机械特性来调整点吸收臂与海浪的频率和振幅。WEC具有对称间隔的点吸收臂，其位置以周为单位，允许机器从任何方向捕获波能。WEC的尺寸符合实验室波槽的限制，在实验室波槽中，机器的性能可以最大化地输出功率。该机器将采用实验设计（DoE）方法进行分析，该方法有效地解决了因素之间的相互作用。这些因素是点吸收器的数量、吸收器的长度、吸收器的浮力和它们的质量。将创建设备的数学模型，调整以匹配实际性能，并用于进一步开发产品。技术上的挑战是在一个成年人大小和重量的包装中产生大约10瓦的电力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to power technology used in the ocean: hurricane hunters, smart buoys, weather stations, ocean internet hubs, and unmanned underwater vehicles The project aims to create a low-cost, small-scale Wave Energy Converter (WEC) that can generate electrical energy from ocean wave motion and power nearby equipment. Unfortunately, solar panels don’t operate in low light and consume a lot of area, and wind turbines are difficult to install and stabilize on the sea. A study will be conducted to determine how to maximize the energy output of the WEC at varying wave conditions in a controlled wave tank and compared against simulation results. An accurate mathematical model will be constructed and used to guide the development of the product. The WEC product can be used by emergency relief teams to power radios or cell phones. It can power ocean instruments collecting weather data and tracking incoming hurricanes, as well as equipment at sea used to monitor and protect our nation’s coastlines. The proposed project aims to develop an innovative and compact Wave Energy Converter (WEC) that can offer small-scale power for oceanic instruments, emergency equipment or consumer electronics. The innovation uses a custom arrangement of gears to amplify small wave movements into rotational energy used to power an electrical generator. A computer algorithm and actuators will tune point absorbing arms to the frequencies and amplitudes of ocean waves by modifying mechanical properties of the machine. The WEC has symmetrically spaced point absorbing arms positioned circumferentially that allow the machine to capture wave energy from any direction. The size of the WEC fits within the limits of a laboratory wave tank where the performance of the machine can be maximized for power output. The machine will be analyzed with the Design of Experiments (DoE) approach which efficiently resolves factor interactions. The factors are the number of point absorbers, length of the absorbers, the buoyancy of the absorbers, and their masses. A mathematical model of the device will be created, adjusted to match actual performance, and used to further develop the product. The technical challenge is to produce roughly 10 watts of power in a package about the size and weight of an adult.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.