US Energy tested the new device to generate energy from ocean waves




The wave power Azura i>

Company Northwest Energy Innovations (NWEI) with the support of US Department of Energy and the US Navy совершила Test the connection to the local power grid power, mining energy from ocean waves. Now the wave station Azura tested on the island of Oahu of the Hawaiian archipelago, where the Navy has a special testing ground Coastal Wave Energy Test Site (WETS), located next to the Marines base.

While this device exists in a single copy. Singularity of its constructive solutions consists in the fact that unlike classical devices to extract energy from the waves, it not only draws energy from the vertical, and horizontal movement of the water masses.

The device represents a pendulum, the lower portion of which is pivotally attached to the ocean floor. To the upper part of the float is attached, connected to the generator rotor. The pendulum under the influence of waves varies, making horizontal movement, and the float is experiencing the impact of additional vertical waves. Committed as a result of these forces circular motion of the float is converted into electrical energy, which is transmitted through submarine cable.



Now the device transmits "clean" energy to the base of the Marines. Its maximum power - 20 kW. After collecting data on the performance of this product, the developers of NWEI plan to improve, if necessary, its design, and ultimately go on to create full-featured devices with capacity from 500 to 1000 kW, which is planned to be located on the coast in places where the depth reaches 60 to 80 m.



US Department of Energy is actively working on alternative energy sources. In the past year, it has promised to organize a competition for companies and individuals to develop effective devices for extracting energy from waves. In addition, the ministry plans to undertake the development of sensors, instruments and other technologies to collect data on the characteristics of ocean waves.

According to optimistic estimates of the Ministry, the United States will be able to extract energy from the ocean about 1400 TWh per year. That may be enough, for example, the 100 million households. Given that about half of Americans live near the coast, the use of renewable ocean energy and looks reasonably promising.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/253086/

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