A review of impulse turbines for wave energy conversion

The control and simulation of the power delivered to the grid are becoming an important topic, particularly when the number of distributed power generation systems increases. In this paper, two different control schemes for an oscillating-water-column Wells-turbine-generator module are simulated, implemented, and compared. In the first method, the control system does appropriately adapt the slip of the induction generator according to the pressure drop entry in order to maximize the generated power, while in the second method, a traditional proportional-integral-derivative-based control is implemented in order to deal with the desired power-reference-tracking problem. It will be shown how the controllers avoid the stalling behavior and that the average power of the generator fed into the grid is significantly higher in the controlled cases than in the uncontrolled one while providing the desired output power.

Modeling and Simulation of Wave Energy Generation Plants: Output Power Control

A twin unidirectional impulse turbine topology for OWC based wave energy plants

This paper describes the present status of the art on air turbines, which could be used for wave energy conversion. The air turbines included in the paper are as follows: Wells type turbines, impulse turbines, radial turbines, cross-flow turbine, and Savonius turbine. The overall performances of the turbines under irregular wave conditions, which typically occur in the sea, have been compared by numerical simulation and sea trial. As a result, under irregular wave conditions it is found that the running and starting characteristics of the impulse type turbines could be superior to those of the Wells turbine. Moreover, as the current challenge on turbine technology, the authors explain a twin-impulse turbine topology for wave energy conversion.

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Air Turbines for Wave Energy Conversion

Performance of an impulse turbine with fixed guide vanes for wave power conversion

Experimental investigations directed towards improving the performance of the impulse turbine with self-pitch-controlled guide vanes for wave power conversion are reported. The turbine presented and tested here has an upstream and a downstream guide vane row connected by link motions. The behavior of guide vanes in the reciprocating flows is shown in connection with the axial flow velocity. The results show that a high-efficiency impulse turbine can be developed by these of guide vanes connected by link motions. Furthermore, it is found that the running and starting characteristics of this turbine in the reciprocating flow can be estimated from the performance of the turbine with fixed nozzle and diffuser vanes in a unidirectional steady flow.

H. Taniyama

Papers

Impulse Turbine With Self-Pitch-Controlled Guide Vanes For Wave Power Conversion (Guide Vanes Connected By Link Motion)