BY EEE

Introduction
Ocean waves are both clean and
renewable sources of energy
with a tremendous worldwide
potential of generating
electricity.
If fully exploited, about 40% of
the worlds power demand could
be supplied by this resource
equivalent to as much as 800
nuclear power plants.
 How Waves Form ?
Differential warming of the earth causes pressure differences in the
atmosphere, which generate winds.
As winds move across the surface of open bodies of water, they
transfer some of their energy to the water and create waves.
A few factors determine how strong an individual wave will be. These
include:
Speed of wind: The faster the wind is traveling, the bigger a wave will be.
Time of wind: The wave will get larger the longer the length of time the wind
is hitting it.
Distance of wind: The farther the wind travels against the wave (known as
fetch), the bigger it will be.
 Wave Power

Wave power is the transport of

energy by ocean surface waves,
and the capture of that energy
to do useful work for example,
electricity generation, water
desalination, or the pumping of
water (into reservoirs).
 History
The first known patent to use energy from ocean waves dates back to 1799
and was filed in Paris by Girard and his son.
An early application of wave power was a device constructed around 1910 .
From 1855 to 1973 there were already 340 patents filed in the UK alone.
Modern scientific pursuit of wave energy was pioneered by Yoshio
Masuda's experiments in the 1940s.
A renewed interest in wave energy was motivated by the oil crisis in 1973.
In the 1980s, a few first-generation prototypes were tested at sea.
In 2008, the first experimental wave farm was opened in Portugal.
 Wave Energy Environments

The strongest winds

blow between 30
and 60 in latitude.

Western coastlines
at these latitudes
experience the most
powerful waves.
 Harnessing Techniques

In order to extract this energy, wave energy conversion devices must

create a system of reacting forces, in which two or more bodies move
relative to each other, while at least one body interacts with the
waves.
 Three Basic Kinds of Systems
Offshore (deals with swell energy
not breaking waves)

Near Shore (maximum wave

amplitude)

Embedded devices (built into

shoreline to receive breaking wave
but energy loss is occurring while
the wave is breaking)
 Wave Energy Devices
Wave Profile Devices: They turn the oscillating height of the
oceans surface into mechanical energy.

Oscillating Water Columns: They convert the energy of the waves

into air pressure.

Wave Capture Devices: They convert the energy of the waves into
potential energy.
 Wave Profile Devices
If the physical size of the wave profile device
is very small compared to the periodic length
of the wave, this type of wave energy device
is called a "point absorber".

If the size of the device is larger or longer

than the typical periodic wavelength, it is Point Absorber
called a "linear absorber.

More commonly they are collectively known

as "wave attenuators".

Wave Attenuators
 Working
The waves energy is absorbed using
Vertical motion (heave)
Horizontal motion in the direction of wave travel (surge)
Angular motion about a central axis parallel to the wave crests (pitch)
or, angular motion about a vertical axis (yaw)
or a combination of all four
The energy being generated by reacting these different movements
against some kind of fixed resistance called a reaction point.
 Working
To make efficient use of
the force generated by the
wave, we need some kind
of force reaction.
In other words, we want
the waves force on the
float to react against
another rigid or semi-rigid
body.
Reaction points can be
inertial masses such as
heavy suspended ballast
plates, sea-floor anchors
or a fixed deadweight or
pile as shown.
 The Power Buoy
As the buoy bobs up-and-
down in the waves, a
oscillatory mutual force
reaction is generated
between the freely moving
absorber and the heavy
plate causing a hydraulic
pump in between to rotate
a generator producing
electricity.
 Wave Attenuators
As the waves pass along the length
of the device, they cause the long
cylindrical body to sag downwards
into the troughs of the waves and
arch upwards when the waves crest
is passing.

Connecting joints along the body of

the device flex in the waves exerting
a great deal of force which is used to
power a hydraulic ram at each joint.

The hydraulic ram drives oil through

a hydraulic motor which drives a
generator, producing the electricity.
 Examples

750 kW Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, Scotland

PB150 PowerBuoy with peak-rated power output of 150 kW. USA

 Oscillating Water Column (OWC)
The Oscillating Water Column, (OWC) is
a popular shoreline wave energy device
normally positioned onto or near to
rocks or cliffs which are next to a deep
sea bottom.

They consist of a partly submerged

hollow chamber fixed directly at the
shoreline which converts wave energy
into air pressure.
 OWC- Working
As the incident waves outside enter
and exit the chamber, changes in
wave movement on the opening
cause the water level within the
enclosure to oscillate up and down
acting like a giant piston on the air
above the surface of the water,
pushing it back and forth.

This air is compressed and

decompressed by this movement
every cycle.

The air is channeled through a wind

turbine generator to produce
electricity
LIMPET (Land Installed Marine Oceanlinxs world's first 1MW wave energy
Powered Energy Transformer), converter unit 'greenWAVE, Australia
Scotland, Capacity-500 kW

LIMPET 500 kW offshore OWC, Port Kembla,Australia

Vizhinjam harbour is the site of a unique demonstration plant
that converts energy from waves to electricity using Oscillating
Water Columns (OWCs). The electricity generated is then fed
into the local grid.[1] A caisson was constructed on the site in
December 1990 and two generations of power modules have so
far been tested. The plant was first commissioned in October
1991. The physical processes involved in the energy conversion
are now much better understood, which has led to a threefold
increase in power output from the plant.
 Wave Capture Device

A Wave Capture Device also known as a Overtopping Wave Power Device,

is a shoreline to nearshore wave energy device that captures the
movements of the tides and waves and converts it into potential energy.

Wave energy is converted into potential energy by lifting the water up onto
a higher level.

The wave capture device, or more commonly an overtopping device,

elevates ocean waves to a holding reservoir above sea level.

It require sufficient wave power to fill the impoundment reservoir.

 Working

As the waves hit the structure

they flow up a ramp and over the
top (hence the name
"overtopping"), into a raised
water impoundment reservoir on
the device in order to fill it.

Once captured, the potential

energy of the trapped water in
the reservoir is extracted using
gravity as the water returns to
the sea via a low-head Kaplan
turbine generator located at the
bottom of the wave capture
device.
 Tapered Channel (TAPCHAN)

The TAPCHAN is designed by a

company called Norwave, and
a 350kW prototype commenced
operation in 1985 on a small
Norwegian island.

The principle behind the design

is to capture waves in a raised
reservoir (about 3 metres above
the mean sea level) and then
extracting useful work as the
water is allowed to flow back to
the sea.
Wave Dragon Overtopping Device, Denmark Toftestallen Wave Power Plant, TAPCHAN, Norway
1.5 to 12 MW of capacity 500 kW
 New Idea Use Bottom Waves
Wave Roller device anchored to the sea floor (obviously near
the cost)
Easiest to build electricity export infrastructure.
But energy density is lower; still prototypes are being developed
Oyster wave power technology , Scotland , peak output of 435kW
The Future: Wave farms
 Challenges
Some devices already been destroyed by the forces of tides and strong storms.
Accessibility, maintenance and repair can also be costly.
The typical efficiency of a wave energy device at the moment being only about 30%.
There is a potential impact on the marine environment.
Noise pollution, for example, could have negative impact if not monitored, although
the noise and visible impact of each design varies greatly.
The major competitor of wave power is offshore wind power.
Wave farms can result in the displacement of commercial and recreational
fishermen from productive fishing grounds.
Waves generate about 2,700 gigawatts of power.
Of those 2,700 gigawatts, only about 500 gigawatts can be captured with the
current technology.
 Conclusion
There is much potential in worldwide wave energy; 1000 TerraWatts
available.
Capturing wave energy and converting that into electricity is difficult
but this allows for innovate devices to be designed
Technology produces no greenhouse gas emissions making it a non-
polluting and renewable source of energy.
The technical challenges are solvable.
The problems lie in facilitating the testing and development of the
technology to make it more affordable
Need government funding
Need a regulatory process conducive for rapid deployment of prototypes and
research equipment.
 References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power
http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/wave-energy/wave-energy-
devices.html
http://www.renewablepowernews.com/archives/1043
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/wave.htm
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/pure-genius/wave-power-how-it-works/3769
http://energyinformative.org/wave-energy/
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/wave-
energy.htm
http://www.emec.org.uk/marine-energy/wave-devices/
http://people.bath.ac.uk/mh391/WavePower/tapchan.html
Thank You