EPSRC funds ocean wave energy project at Surrey

The Mathematics Panel at EPSRC has funded the project “Dynamics of floating water-wave energy extraction devices” for a period of 3 years starting in June 2013.  The total amount of the award is £290K and it funds a Postdoc, a PhD student, travel and two themed semesters.

The interest in this project is the OWEL wave energy converter (WEC).  It is a floating rectangular device open at one end to allow waves in. It is a moored deep-water offshore structure interacting with ocean waves. The wave energy is extracted via a power take-off system.  It is one of the most difficult WECs to model. A schematic of the OWEL WEC is in the figure.  The purpose of this project is to advance the mathematical modelling of this system and develop a theoretical framework for analysis of the model.  The ultimate aim is to contribute to the design of successive generations of the OWEL configuration.  The EPSRC announcement is here.  The PI on the project is Tom Bridges and the project partners are Dr Ned Minns at Offshore Wave Energy Ltd and Dr Mark Leybourne at ITPower Ltd.