Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Verification of a New Wave Energy Converter

As traditional energy sources are increasingly depleting, ocean energy has become an emergent potential clean energy source. Wave energy, as an important part of ocean-derived energy, has been studied and utilized by coastal countries worldwide, which have developed various wave energy converters. In this paper, a new wave energy converter is designed, and water movement in fluid channels is analyzed. The results are, then, used to generate a mathematical model that simulates water movement. Based on this approach, the water movement state is analyzed, and a formula for calculating the natural frequency of water movement in the power generator is derived. The formula shows that the characteristic length of the water movement in the proposed generator and the backboard tilt angle at the exit point of the fluid channel are two design-related variables that can be used to alter the natural frequency; a regular wave experiment is conducted based on the fluid model, which is designed based on the natural frequency formula, to verify the changes in model torque and speed as well as whether the model can operate under normal wave conditions. This study lays a theoretical foundation for the design of further experiments and engineering prototypes to verify the validity of mathematical models by way of experimental analysis.