Improving the Efficiency of an Offshore Wave Energy Converter for Power Generation

Ocean is one of the renewable sources of energy that can supply part of the world’s energy necessities and consequently lessen the percentage of consumption of fossil fuels and additional non-renewable resources. Water waves have a quite high power density with a total global power of approximately 1-10 TW, equivalent to a large segment of the world’s current total energy consumption. The wave to electrical conversion encompasses wave energy converter (WEC), electrical generator, and signal conditioning end. This work is based on the selection and analysis of most suitable electrical generator which makes the overall wave energy conversion system simplest and reliable. The majority of wave energy conversion systems are based on conventional rotational generators which not only require mechanical interface i.e. turbine, hydraulic pump but make complicated system, incur losses and increases maintenance. On the other hand, direct-drive linear generators offer massive advantages in the field of wave energy conversion; they do not require any mechanical part, they form simple configuration and in turn increases the reliability. The literature survey has been carried out on direct-drive linear generators for wave energy conversion, it is analyzed that air-cored linear permanent magnet generator (Li-PMG) is suitable choice as compared to others.