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Principles
The Pelamis is an attenuating wave device designed with survivability at the fore. The Pelamis's long thin shape means it is almost invisible to hydrodynamic forces, namely inertia, drag, and slamming, which in large waves give rise to large loads. Its novel joint configuration is used to induce a tunable cross-coupled resonant response. Control of the restraint applied to the joints allows this resonant response to be ‘turned-up’ in small seas where capture efficiency must be maximised or ‘turned-down’ to limit loads and motions in survival conditions.[3]
Operation
The Pelamis device consists of a series of semi-submerged cylindrical sections linked by hinged joints. The wave-induced relative motion of these sections is resisted by hydraulic rams which pump high pressure oil through hydraulic motors via smoothing hydraulic accumulators. The hydraulic motors drive electrical generators to produce electricity. Power from all the joints is fed down a single umbilical cable to a junction on the sea bed. Several devices can be connected together and linked to shore through a single seabed cable.
Wave farms
The world's first commercial wave farm is planned for Portugal,[4] at the Aguçadora Wave Park near Povoa de Varzim.[5] The wave farm will use three Pelamis P-750 machines with a capacity of 2.25 megawatts, enough to meet the average electricity demand of more than 1,500 Portuguese households.[6] The portugal deployment is currently at least 12 months late. The tube sections for these machines were constructed at the Arnish manufacturing site, on the Isle of Lewis.[7]
Funding for Scotland's first wave farm was announced by the Scottish Executive on February 22, 2007. It will be the world's largest, with a capacity of 3 MW generated by four Pelamis machines and a cost of over £4 million.[8] The funding is part of a new £13 million funding package for marine power in Scotland.
Pelamis Wave Power has also expressed an interest in installing Pelamis devices at the Wave hub development off the north coast of Cornwall, in England.
Etymology
Pelamis platurus is a yellow-bellied sea snake that lives in tropical and subtropical waters. It prefers shallow inshore waters.
See also
References
- ^ "Pelamis Wave Power". pelamiswave.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Pelamis - mechanical snake to extract megawatts from Waves". marinet.org.uk. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "P-750 Wave Energy Converter". pelamiswave.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Wave power scientist enthused by green energy". The Times. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Portugal to Get World's First Commercial Wave Farm". planetark.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Wave energy contract goes abroad". BBC Scotland. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Camcal". scottishdevelopmentinternational.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Orkney to get 'biggest' wave farm", BBC Scotland. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
External links
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