Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Absorber Geometry Optimization For A New Wave Energy Converter, Rachel A. Durren

Masters Theses

Alternative energy technologies are on the forefront of research due to the rising costs of oil and natural gas. One relatively under development source of energy is ocean waves. In order to make the use of ocean waves economically viable, the amount of energy absorbed by wave energy converters (WEC) must be optimized. The research within presents a new conceptual design, "Aqua Fly", for a WEC with emphasis on maximizing the amount of energy absorbed. The energy absorption component of the "Aqua Fly" was isolated and a small scale 2-D study of energy absorption. First, the amount of energy in …