Using Electro Active Polymers to Transform Wave Energy Conversion
| Autor: | Ambroise Wattez, Rick van Kessel |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
010302 applied physics
chemistry.chemical_classification Materials science business.industry 02 engineering and technology Polymer 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology 01 natural sciences Renewable energy chemistry 0103 physical sciences Optoelectronics Energy transformation 0210 nano-technology business Energy (signal processing) |
| Zdroj: | Day 3 Wed, May 04, 2016. |
| DOI: | 10.4043/27170-ms |
| Popis: | The first generations of wave energy converters have had a number of forms, but all are essentially large steel structures concentrating the power take off onto small mechanical devices. A number of prototype devices have been installed offshore, but due to their high fabrication and installation costs, coupled with significant maintenance requirements, the production of electricity at an acceptable cost has remained elusive. To avoid the limitations of these devices, a second generation wave energy converter is being developed using electro active polymers (EAP), which are capable of generating electricity directly from wave action without the need for any mechanical power take off. The resulting system is flexible and possesses an infinite number of degrees of freedom, allowing wave energy to be captured more efficiently than with conventional devices. Deployed offshore, such a device would have no complex mechanical parts, would function silently, and would require minimal maintenance. The economics of such a system lead to predictions of a cost of electricity significantly below the levels of the first generation devices. The paper explains the principals involved in using EAP for the generation of electricity, the application of EAP to wave energy conversion, and reports key results from the ongoing development program. The paper also describes the main features of the prototype wave energy converter system presently under development for deployment offshore. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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