To achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 amidst rising energy demands, a shift toward renewable energy is essential. Wave Energy Converters (WECs) are a promising but underdeveloped technology that could outperform solar and wind. However, high costs and friction challenges in prototypes hinder their viability. This thesis presentation details the design and testing of a Low Friction Testbed (LFT) using air bearings and a voice coil actuator to improve WEC efficiency and reduce costs, enabling more effective testing and validation of advanced…
Jacob, Sal, Hassan, and Gordon recently published the “Free-Decay Heave Motion of a Spherical Buoy” in Fluids. The buoy response was explored using experimental measurements and complementary numerical simulations. The experiments were performed using MTU Wave’s Qualisys motion-capture system and wave gauges. The simulations included three sets of calculations with varying levels of sophistication. In one set, the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method was used to solve the incompressible, two-phase, Navier–Stokes equations on an overset grid, whereas…