Mathematical model design

Designing and calculating a Wave Energy Converter using Linearly Acting Hydraulic Power
Take Off (LAHPTO) mechanism involves various steps, including determination of the wave
resource, selection of appropriate wave energy conversion technology, and design of the
LAHPTO system. Below are some of the key formulas used in the design and calculation of
LAHPTO-based wave energy converters:
STEP #01
1. Wave Power Equation:
Wave power is produced by the motion of waves in the tank.

PW =0.5 ρg H 2 ( 2Tπ )
Where,
Pw is the wave power, which is the amount of energy that is available in the waves per
unit time.
ρ is the density of water, which is a constant value.
g is the acceleration due to gravity, which is also a constant value.
H is the significant wave height, which is the average height of the highest one-third of
the waves.
T is the wave period, which is the time it takes for one full wave cycle to pass a fixed
point.

STEP #02

When waves occurs, there is transfer of wave energy into linear motion of hydraulic cylinder
with the help of point absorber hull.

2. Point absorber hull equation:

The point absorber hull captures the energy of waves through its up-and-down motion and
convert into potential energy stored within the hydraulic cylinders.
2
Ep=0.5 Aρg H

Where,
A is the cross-sectional area of the hull,
ρ is the density of water,
g is the acceleration due to gravity,
H is significant wave Height.
 i. H: Significant wave Height

Significant wave height refers to the average height of the waves that point
absorber hull is designed to capture and convert into energy. It is an important factor in
determining the potential power output of your system, as the energy of a wave is proportional to
its height squared. Therefore, a higher significant wave height generally means a greater
potential for power generation.

3. Maximum Power extracted by point absorber:

2
Pmax =0.5 Aρg H C

Where,
A is the cross-sectional area of the hull,
ρ is the density of water,
g is the acceleration due to gravity,
H is significant wave Height.
C is capture Width ratio (It is measure of how much of the wave energy can be captured
by WEC)

i. C is capture Width ratio

W
C=
λ

Where,
Wave height (W) is the vertical distance between the trough and crest of a wave,
Wavelength (λ) is the horizontal distance between two consecutive wave crests or
troughs.

STEP #03

In a wave energy conversion system that uses point absorbers, the motion of the
absorber is typically converted into the rotational motion of a power take-off (PTO) system, such
as a hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder then generates pressurized fluid that drives a
hydraulic motor, which in turn drives an electrical generator to produce electricity.

4. Net force generated by the hydraulic cylinders:

In our project, the hydraulic cylinder is used to convert mechanical motion of
point absorber hull into hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic pressure is then used to drive hydraulic
motor, which in turn drives an electric generator to produce electricity.
Fnet =(F 1+ F 2)−( F 3+ F 4)
Where,
F1 and F2 are the forces generated by the hydraulic cylinders moving in the same
direction,
F3 and F4 are the forces generated by the hydraulic cylinders moving in the opposite
direction.
The net force Fnet is the force that drives the hydraulic actuators attached to the crankshaft and
generates the torque that drives the generator.
5. Hydraulic Actuators:
The hydraulic actuators in our project are the hydraulic cylinders that are used to
convert the wave energy into mechanical energy. The formula for the hydraulic actuators is
already given above as:

F net
P=
A

Where,
P is the pressure (in Pa),
F is the net force (in N),
A is the area of the hydraulic cylinder piston (in m^2).

The piston area (A) of the hydraulic cylinder can be calculated by measuring the diameter of the piston
and using the formula for the area of a circle,

()
2
d
A=π ×
2
Where d is the diameter of the piston.

6. Torque generated by the hydraulic cylinders on the crankshaft:

In our wave energy converter prototype, we use hydraulic cylinders to
convert the energy from waves into mechanical energy. These hydraulic cylinders are attached to
a crankshaft which converts the linear motion of the hydraulic cylinders into rotational motion.
The torque generated by the hydraulic cylinders on the crankshaft can be calculated using the
following equation:

T =P A L

Where,
T is the torque (in N-m),
P is the pressure (in Pa),
A is the area of the hydraulic cylinder piston (in m^2),
L is the distance between the attachment point of the cylinder and the crankshaft (in m).
STEP #04

7. Mechanical power by wave energy converter:

The wave energy converter uses the motion of waves to generate torque in the
hydraulic cylinders, which are connected to the crankshaft. This torque causes the crankshaft to
rotate at a certain speed, which is called the angular velocity. The mechanical power generated
by the wave energy converter is calculated by multiplying the torque generated by the hydraulic
cylinders with the angular velocity of the crankshaft. This mechanical power can then be used to
drive a generator to produce electricity.

After torque generated by the hydraulic cylinders on the crankshaft, the mechanical power
generated by the wave energy converter can be calculated using the following equation:

Pm=T ω

Where,
Pm is the mechanical power (in W),
T is the torque (in N-m),
ω is the angular velocity of the crankshaft (in rad/s).

8. Electric Power Output:

In our wave energy converter prototype, the mechanical power generated by the
hydraulic cylinders is transferred to the crankshaft and then to the generator. The generator
converts this mechanical power into electrical power, which is the power output of our system.

The formula for electric power output is:

Pe =VI

Where,
P is the power in watts (W),
V is the voltage in volts (V),
I is the current in amperes (A).

9. Mechanical Efficiency:

Pe
ηm=
Pm

where,
 ηm is the mechanical efficiency,
Pe is the electrical power output of the dynamo (in W),
Pm is the mechanical power (in W).

STEP #05

10. Overall Efficiency of wave energy converter:

Pe
η=
Pw

where,
η is the overall efficiency,
Pe is the electrical power output of the dynamo (in W),
Pw is the wave power (in W/m),