Modeling of Onshore Wave Energy Converter: Inverse Dynamic Analysis and Thermal Prediction

Sea wave energy is being increasingly regarded as one of the most promising sources of renewable energy. This paper deals with the modeling and simulation of an onshore Wave Energy Converter system designed by UMBRA GROUP SpA, world leader in the production of high-precision ball screws for aerospace, industrial and energy sectors. Several topics are addressed: starting from the multibody modeling strategy, this paper goes more deeply into the characterization of the most interesting forces acting on the structure, as well as the thermal behavior investigation of the power take-off module based on lumped-parameter and Finite Element Method models. Inverse Multibody Dynamic Analysis is performed and simulation results are collected to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The indirect efficiency of the mechanism has been found quite high (80-85%) in comparison with other wave energy converter mechanisms, whereas the thermal level does not exceed 165°C (electric machine), 140°C (screw), 47°C (nut).