The Energen Wave Power device is a generator that uses the motion of near shore ocean surface waves to create electricity. It is an attenuating wave device designed for extracting energy available from a single wave over a large surface area. It has a simple robust design that will enable it to withstand harsh sea conditions. The design of the generator allows for single or modular installations. Modular installations will reduce costs making power generating sites more financially viable. The size of each generator can be changed to accommodate regional wave conditions to maximise power output and reduce energy unit costs. All power generating equipment is housed in the parallel floating pontoons, providing protection from the harsh corrosive sea conditions.
Operation
The Energen device consists of a series of semi-submerged cylindrical pivoting torque tubes connected to two large cylindrical pontoons. The wave-induced movement of these torque tubes is resisted by a
hydraulic system which pumps high pressure oil through
hydraulic motors. The hydraulic motors drive
electrical generators to produce electricity.
A 50th scale model has been tested at the
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is South Africa's central and premier scientific research and development organisation. It was established by an act of parliament in 1945 and is situated on its own campus in the cit ...
in
Stellenbosch and using actual wave data off the
South African coast it is estimated that a single device will produce 1.4 MW of power, or 979 GW hours of electricity per annum.
[https://books.aijr.org/index.php/press/catalog/download/123/49/1847-1?inline=1]
See also
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Wave power
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Ocean energy
Marine energy or marine power (also sometimes referred to as ocean energy, ocean power, or marine and hydrokinetic energy) refers to the energy carried by ocean waves, tides, salinity, and ocean thermal energy, ocean temperature differences. The ...
*
Wave farm
Wave power is the capture of energy of wind waves to do useful work – for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or pumping water. A machine that exploits wave power is a wave energy converter (WEC).
Waves are generated by wind ...
References
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External links
* http://www.csir.co.za/
Wave power
Power station technology