ACTIVE IMPEDANCE MATCHING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WAVE ENERGY CONVERTER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the efficiency of a wave energy converter (WEC) having a shaft and a contour structure intended to be placed in a water region and to move relative to each other in response to a force applied to the WEC by the water region.

SOLUTION: A system includes an apparatus for: (a) extracting energy from the WEC and producing output electric energy as a function of the movement of the contour structure (shaft) relative to the shaft (contour structure) and (b) for selectively imparting energy to one of the contour structure and shaft for causing an increase in the displacement and velocity of one of the contour structure and the shaft relative to the other, whereby the net amount of generated output electrical energy is increased. The apparatus for extracting energy and selectively supplying the energy may be implemented using a single device capable of being operated bi-directionally in terms of both a direction and a force.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT