Experimental validation of the ISWEC wave to PTO model

Abstract Wave power represents a highly promising field in the broader area of green energy and it is currently the subject of increasing research and investments. The wave energy converter (WEC) under study in this paper is a 1:8 scaled prototype of the ISWEC, a device able to harvest sea energy exploiting the inertial effect of a gyroscope. The aim of this work is to validate the numerical simulation model of the device against the results of a wave tank test campaign carried out in INSEAN facilities in Rome. In the first part of the paper the ISWEC dynamic and hydrodynamic governing laws are outlined and implemented in a numerical model. A detailed description of the 1:8 scaled prototype characteristics is provided together with the experimental setup for the tank tests. A wide range of theoretical operating conditions are considered in order to test the system dynamics as well as its control strategy, and it is discussed how different control strategies influence the system behavior and its energy production. In the last part the experimental results are compared with the output of the numerical model, which gives a good prediction of the device behavior.