Abstract
This study presents a continuation of previous work presented at the 2023 UMERC conference, which introduced the Multi-Mode Wave Energy Converter (MWEC). MWEC consists of a platform connected to multiple pistons to allow different dynamic modes to be excited, including pitching, heaving, and surging. In MWEC, electricity is generated via the axial motion of the pistons which, in turn, use a Scotch-Yoke mechanism to convert the axial motion into rotation. The present study is to address the challenge of efficient power take-off (PTO) across diverse wave conditions by integration of a flywheel system within the PTO. The flywheel is incorporated to stabilize power output by acting as a kinetic energy storage device, mitigating the inherent variability of the input wave energy. The gearbox was reconfigured using helical spur gears manufactured using 3D printing and experimentally tested under controlled laboratory conditions. These tests evaluated the effectiveness of the flywheel system to reduce power fluctuations, which was then used as input in a Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) numerical model for performance assessment. This paper contributes to the advancement of the MWEC technology by demonstrating the potential of the flywheel mechanism to enhance power output. The study also provides a set of experimental data, which can be leveraged for numerical modeling and further development of the MWEC system.