Hydrodynamic Control of Wave Energy Devices

With this self-contained and comprehensive text, students and researchers will gain a detailed understanding of the fundamental aspects of the hydrodynamic control of wave energy converters. Such control is necessary to maximise energy capture for a given device configuration and plays a major role in efforts to make wave energy economic. Covering a wide range of disciplines, the reader is taken from the mathematical and technical fundamentals, through the main pillars of wave energy hydrodynamic control, right through to state-of-the-art algorithms for hydrodynamic control. The various operating principles of wave energy converters are exposed and the unique aspects of the hydrodynamic control problem highlighted, with a variety of potential solutions discussed. Supporting material on wave forecasting and the interaction of the hydrodynamic control problem with other aspects of wave energy device optimisation, such as device geometry optimisation and optimal device array layout, is also provided.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Wave energy conversion; Part II. The Basics: 2. Introduction to control engineering; 3. Bodies oscillating in air; 4. Bodies oscillating in water; Part III. The Hydrodynamics: 5. Nature of the wave input; 6. A closer look at wave energy hydrodynamics; Part IV. Velocity Control Using a Hydrodynamic Model: 7. Reactive control in time domain; 8. A causal real-time controller for WECs; Part V. Control by Optimizing a Performance Index: 9. Non-reactive switching control; 10. Optimal numerical control of wave energy converters; 11. Control strategies for WEC arrays; 12. Wave forecasting for control; Part VI. Towards Overall WEC System Hydrodynamic Optimisation: 13. Position and force constraint analysis and optimisation; 14. Interaction between control and optimum system design; Part VII. In Closing: 15. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Umesh Korde is the Richard and Elizabeth Henes Chair Professor in Wave Energy at Michigan Technological University. He is the author of numerous research publications and teaches graduate courses focusing on the hydrodynamics and control of wave energy devices. Korde also works on research in smart structures and acoustics. A focal area of his current research has been new techniques for modeling and control, including novel ways to utilize existing approaches. He is an associate editor for the journal Ocean Engineering and is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
John Ringwood is a professor in the Department of Electronic Engineering at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. He is on the editorial board of Energies and a Senior Member of the IEEE, a Fellow of Engineers Ireland and a Chartered Engineer.