Software for deterministic prediction of ocean surface waves for wave energy generation

Harnessing wave energy is still in early developmental stages compared to other renewables like solar and wind. The problem is the economic viability often due to the suboptimal performance of wave energy converters (WECs) and their survivability in the ocean. If WECs can be controlled properly, the amount of power produced can, potentially, be multiplied, but this requires accurate future knowledge of the incoming waves at the WECs.

This project aims to develop an online tool for predicting ocean surface waves using time-series measurements from fixed wave buoys located upwave of the intended prediction point. This will be collaborative work on an ongoing PhD project at the UWA's Wave Energy Research Centre in Albany, WA.

The tool would take wave records as input at known spatial point(s) and use the Fourier Transform (FT) and other mathematical/statistical techniques to propagate wavefields forward in both time and space (to a typical wave WEC location). Codes for the prediction are currently written in MATLAB and ready for use.

A link to our unidirectional wave prediction video animation: https://youtu.be/LDRjLnrcUc0

Client


Contact: Thobani Hlophe
Phone: 0405858373
Email: [email protected]
Preferred contact: Email
Location: UWA Albany

IP Exploitation Model


The IP exploitation model requested by the Client is: An agreement to joint exploitation of any IP that is created


Department of Computer Science & Software Engineering
The University of Western Australia
Last modified: 22 July 2021
Modified By: Michael Wise 		UWA