TY - CONF TI - Performance optimisation of a modified Duck through optimal mass distribution AU - Lucas, J AU - Stephen, S AU - Cruz, J AU - Taylor, J AU - Bryden, I T2 - 8th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC 2009) C1 - Uppsala, Sweden AB - A new design for the solo desalination Duck Wave Energy Converter is being studied at the University of Edinburgh. The key innovation is the modification of the profile. A numerical hydrodynamic model showed that similar performance could be obtained by using a circular cylinder with an off-centred axis of rotation. The principle advantage of this new design is the reduction of the cost of the manufacturing process. A 1:33 scale model was built to validate the numerical predictions and has been tested in a wave tank in regular and irregular seas.The optimisation of the performance of this device requires a systematic investigation of the effect of several variables. In this paper the effect of mass redistribution is analysed. A simplified one degree-of-freedom frequency-domain model with its power-take-off based on linear damping is used and an equation for the position of the ballast mass that maximises the performance of the device for for a certain wave exciting frequency is derived.It is shown that by relocating the ballast (i.e. changing the inertia of the Duck) a new condition that optimises the performance of the device for a particular wave climate is obtained. DA - 2009/09// PY - 2009 SP - 270 EP - 279 PB - European Tidal and Wave Energy Conference LA - English KW - Wave KW - Lab Data KW - Modeling KW - Performance KW - Cost Assessment ER -