PRODUCTS & SERVICES - Renewable Energy Technology - Wave Energy

Introduction to an advanced Hybrid (Wave & Wind) Renewable Energy Technology (RET) Multipurpose System

E. M. Mylonas
Dipl. Mar. Eng. - Systems Analyst
(Technical Director, DAEDALUS Informatics)

Course Level : Intermediate - Advanced last update 25/10/2002

Abstract

The issue of a flexible, robust, simple and directly industry-targeted method for the exploitation of sea wave energy, has long been the core of international, high quality, extensive research work.Current European assisted research at Daedalus Informatics, has managed to outline the successful candidate solution and offer a resume of a such experience in a simple, robust and commercially viable industrial prototype. An obvious further step was to expand into an integral, environmentally friendly solution of exploiting a complementary resource, as is wind, through the innovative design of a new breed of Wind energy converter. It became principally evident that such a general purpose hybrid RET installation should utilize compressed air as the thermodynamic medium. This approach provides the foundation for a multipurpose RET system suitable for a variety of applications besides electricity production -such as energy storage, desalinization, etc.

Introduction

The works of the present project aim at offering a new approach in the wave energy exploitation cycle, in complementary combination with a radically new wind energy driven air compressor. The common delivery of both devices is realized by intermediate conversion into compressed air and direct exploitation via conversion into electrical energy or other application. The methodology proposed offers a complete solution which, although innovative, follows a simple and robust design rational, is composed of easily available industrial components and is totally modular. Among other benefits, the method allows for closely related issues to become attractive, such as intermediate energy storage, complementarity with other renewable resources, etc.

Part of the current research work, was conducted under the activities of the JOULE II program (JOU2-CT940315, ELECTRICITY GENERATION BY PILOT REALIZATION OF A WAVE ENERGY CONVERTER). Our research team aims to present a brief introduction to the design characteristics of two discrete renewable energy exploitation devices (WECA and WECON), which may be either operated autonomously, or in tandem operation.

What is Wave Power

Although not strictly an issue of the current article, it is essential for the uninitiated reader to acquire some basic background of the overall philisophy, rational and technology infrastructure compiling the field of Wave Energy in the RET domain. Perhaps, the best way to attain this in a terse but vivid description, is going through the book of Mr DAVID ROSS which from, the following excerpts are cited below.

Power from the Waves

David Michael Ross
Journalist and socialist, born March 6 1925; died August 9 2004
Incorporating and expanding on Energy from the waves by the same author
Oxford New York Tokyo OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 1995

Preface

The story which follows is a moral tale, the triumph of good over bad. It takes us all the way from the development by a Japanese naval commander of a method of turning the energy of the waves into a stream of air, to the invention of an Edinburgh engineer who turned the capture of wave energy into a mechanical problem which he could solve.Then came the building in Norway, India and the Inner Hebrides of small stations on the shore. And on 2 August 1995 the launch took place of the first power station designed to stand alone on the seabed, away from the coast, generating smoke-free electricity from the renewable energy of the waves. It is a story which resembles that of the Pied Piper of Hamelin: the comfortable, established burghers summoned him to rid their city of the rats and then when the pest and their fear had gone they lost enthusiasm for paying him his due. It was much the same in Britain. In 1976, there was enthusiastic official backing as the government contemplated the prospect of an Arab oil boycott or at least a drastic rise in the price of oil (which happened).

The mood changed when it was discovered that the energy 'gap', forecast to arrive in the mid-199Os, was going to be delayed. The North Sea & Alaska oil reserves came on-stream. So the comfortable burghers snapped shut their cheque books, turned away, and tried to pretend that we could go on burning oil, coal and particularly gas without heed, and that global warming & growing pollution were not happening. We were even subjected to a propaganda campaign on behalf of 'clean gas', ignoring the millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide it adds to the atmosphere.

But why wave power? Because the sea covers more than 70 per cent of the world's surface. Engineers and scientists have discovered how to harvest its power in this generation. It can provide vast amounts of electricity without cooling towers, without pollution, without any risk of the 'fuel' running out, because the waves go on for ever... So why has it been largely ignored for so long? There are a mixt- ure of reasons. Money is the main one. But wave power is not about saving money: it is about saving the world. It was nuclear power that was supposed to be dirt cheap. And it is ironic that the British wave energy programme, which dominated the scene from 1976 until 1982, was masterminded from, of all places, Harwell, the home of nuclear power. It was assigned there on the grounds that both sources were 'alternatives'. And the work was given to the Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU), a subsidiary of the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA). The years passed and ETSU rejected wave power as being hopelessly expensive, both now and in the future. And then came the OSPREY, to be based in Dounreay at the site of the fast breeder reactor, which had also been abandoned by the government. And it was the AEA, the parent body from Harwell, which was happy to offer its facilities, its people and its backing to wave power. 'Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head', as Shakespeare wrote.

Introduction

On 29 April 1976, the Chief Scientist of the Department of Energy, Dr Walter Marshall, announced in London that the British Government was to spend just over 1 million on investigating the possibility of harvesting the energy of the waves. It was the beginning of a long struggle--against nature, against engineering and scientific problems, and against the established powers in the energy and political worlds. But wave energy has won through. In Norway and the Inner Hebrides, pioneering wave power stations have been built. Others are under construction now (1995) off Dounreay in the north of Europe and the Azores in the south. Others are working or in preparation in Japan, India, and Indonesia. They are only a start, small in capacity compared with what is to come. The ultimate prize is an inexhaustible source of non-polluting energy which has still to be achieved on a large scale. But the story so far is one of a triumph of science and engineering. The difficulties which had to be overcome were immense but the major problems have been solved. Progress since the early days, the mid -1970s, when the world was galvanised by a growing energy crisis, has been remarkable. We have learned an astonishing amount. We know how the waves behave and what has to be done to capture their elusive motion & turn it into useful energy. We know how to absorb a fluctuating supply and use it so that the lights do not go out or even flicker. Now what is needed are governments, utilities,and industries with the capital & the will to turn today's pioneering wave power devices into major energy providers, and start out seriously on the road to generating energy without the pollution that comes from burning gas, oil, coal, wood, and rubbish. There is no such thing as smoke-free smoke and the person who first rubbed two sticks together has a lot to answer for. The damage this does has been evident since the Industrial Revol- ution, when smoke turned central England into the black country. Only the descriptions vary. It started life as fog and became a pea-souper, then smog, then acid rain, global warming, and the greenhouse effect. We are aroused from time to time by a conference or a learned paper or an alarming symptom of environmental change. There is a moment of headline panic. Society recognizes that something must be done, but then loses interest because solutions are not easy. Nuclear power has tried to present itself as a clean alternative, but has proved unacceptable because of regular emissions of radio- activity into the atmosphere and the sea, and because there is no agreed method of dealing with nuclear waste or with power stations awaiting decommissioning; and the memory of Chernobyl and other nuclear accidents has meant that most societies have turned their backs on that option. But is wave energy the answer? It is not intended to be exclusive. For those countries blessed with vast,empty countryside, wind power may be a suitable renewable source. In equatorial regions, solar power may be the appropriate technology. There is also a good case to be made for tidal and other forms of hydroelectric power where the topography permits. But for many countries it is the waves that provide the best hope of developing a major energy source with no environmental objections to overcome. And the waves contain the amount of energy the world needs.

Anyone who has stood on the deck of a ship and watched the ceaseless, tireless stirring of the sea exploding in a useless waste of froth must have wondered whether we could capture that perpetual motion & turn it into something useful. To ignore it is a crime against nature. But how much useful energy is available? Is it a significant resource? The answer is that the waves contain about as much energy as the world is using today. To avoid any misunder- standing, let me repeat--energy, not just electricity. The best estimates, to which I shall return, put the figure for wave power at 1 terawatt (TW), the equivalent of the world's electricity production, from the waves arriving at the coast, and at 10 TW for the power in the open sea. That is comparable with the world's power consumption. A terawatt is 1000 gigawatt (GW) or 1000 000 megawatts (MW). For comparison, an industrialised country such as Britain has a grid capacity of around 50 GW. The question of cost was a secondary issue, raised largely at the start by the culture of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). It was beholden by Parliamentary statute to produce electri- city as economically as possible and this had become its credo. It dedicated much effort to proving that whatever method it had chosen was the cheapest. It argued that nuclear power was 'too cheap to meter' and used this argument as justification for spending vast amounts of money on it. And so when wave energy became a possibility, it naturally turned first to the question of cost and found a ready audience in governments which had watched in horror as the price of oil rose,first in response to the Arab-Israeli war of 1973. A barrel of oil which had cost $1.80 in 1970 rose to $2.90 by mid-1973, and to $11.65 by December of that year. It was later to reach $45 for brief periods, after the overthrow of the Shah of Iran in 1979. That was the sort of problem which transfixed governments. But the real crisis, which is still with us, is far worse than that: it is that we are consuming 65.5 million barrels of oil a day, the inheritance of countless millions of years, and using up coal and gas in a wild, irresponsible splurge. As to money, let us try to keep our minds on the fact that it was nuclear power that was supposed to be dirt cheap. Wave energy is not about saving money; it's about saving the world. The first consideration must remain: can we find ways of illuminat- ing and warming & empowering our lives without pollution and without running out of fuel? The 'energy gap', the excess of demand over supply which was accepted as a fact in the 1970s, and was due to paralyse the nation by the mid-1990s, remains a likely prospect although the date has slipped. But given the speed at which we are using up fossil fuels, and the collapse of the nuclear industry in most countries, the world is going to encounter a famine of useful energy within the lifetime of today's children if we do not change our pattern of production and consumption. We need depserately to develop renewable sources, however uncertain the need may appear at times. The question of cost is a luxury.

* ATTENTION: The contents of the current report are the sole property of the Hellenic company DAEDALUS Informatics Ltd, located in Ikarias 22 str., Glyfada 16675, Athens, Greece. This report is made publicly availble via the Internet for the benefit of the social, scientific and industrial community. Any modification, transcription, publication or distribution of the current document, without the prior written consent of the owner company, will constitute a direct violation of the legislation for intellectual property rights and will carry all legal consequences.

Brief overview of Industrial Status - the Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device - Technology & Applications

Power from the Sea

A historical overview of human efforts to exploit the power of the waves

(to be completed)

Introduction to the Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device - Technology & Applications

Foreword

A safe approach to examine the historical evolution in the field of Wave Energy R&D and subsequent Industrial progress, is by merely focusing in one method of application -namely the OWC- and industrial pilot plants or devices undertaken by three countries, U.K., Japan and Norway. It may be surprising that although very little argument is to whether wave energy could well be the most abundant R.E. resource of the future -particularly suitable for the anticipated shift into a Hydrogen Economy, as well as for the fact that a vast amount of ingenious research work has been carried out worldwide - the majority in U.K.- for the past thirty years, only a negligible amount of commercial or industrial progress has been achieved so far. It may be taken as a fact that politics and a disfavoring international energy strategy, are among the most influential "contributors" to this predicament. Nevertheless, the lack of fully fledged worldwide industrial participation in the field, has certainly contributed to the fact that a multitude of efforts, R&D as well as critical funding towards optimizing a commercially viable solution, has been wasted. The present section will only attempt to provide a terse description of current industrial status and methodology employed in this particular field. DAEDALUS, besides all commercial endeavors as a researcher and manufacturer in W.E. technology, realizes the necessity for the wide public to be re-educated, academically or commercially, on the dreams and efforts of many talented scientists and pioneers, in this fascinating field of engineering that holds great importance for our future.

Towards this goal, a very extensive historical overview and upcoming development of field activities, will be continually released and become publicly available through the WWW servers of DAEDALUS.

The Masuda Device

For historical purposes only, the now used principle of OWC was the product of Professor Yoshio Masuda, a former naval commander from Japan. His inspiration was to turn water power into a stream of air. It was to be used by the vast majority of the first generation of working devices, as in the Norwegian stations at Bergen, the Gully station on Islay, Ireland, and finally, in the OSPREY device in U.K.

The problem for the early research workers was -in the words of the Thorpe report- to turn "the low velocities and high forces associated with sea waves into the high speeds and lower forces required by conventional electrical generators". In non-technical terms, the waves arrive every seven or eight seconds and they land at times with enough force to smash down a concrete sea wall or a steel pier. This huge force had to be made gentler but also faster, so that it could make a turbo-generator revolve at 1000 rpm or more. The Masuda's solution trapped the waves inside a hollow cylinder which was open to the sea at its base. As the waves rose and fell in the sea outside, the column of water inside the cylinder mimicked the movement (because water finds its own level). So you had a column of water inside the cylinder oscillating - that is, going up & down every seven or so seconds. It was originally called the Masuda Device but then acquired the unattractive name of Oscillating Water Column. As the Column rose, it forced the pocket of air above it to rise. The air went out through the only exit, at the top of the cylinder, which was occupied by an air turbine which revolved as the stream of air rushed through. Then, as the wave fell in a trough, the column of water descended, and air was sucked in from the atmosphere to fill the vacuum, spinning the air turbine again. A clever design with two sets of check valves was used as to guide the air stream produced on both occasions, in the same direction and subsequently provide uniform flow momentum to the turbine. The picture diagram demonstrates this device and part assembly. You may also view an animated simulation of the device in operation by clicking on the picture. The parameters under consideration in the OWC are the input wave vertical displacement y and the output bulk air flow q.

It was initially used for small scale commercial applications, particularly for navigational Light-buoys. In such a small scale, and for the purpose of lighting a 60-watt bulb and driving a flasher unit, it would obviously have been possible to use other sources - for instance, solar panels, or wind turbines. But the significance of Masuda's invention was that it was showing that the waves themselves could be made to serve the needs of an electricity consumer (in this case, the ships which were sailing across those waves) instead of drawing on some other source. Three hundred OWCs are functioning in the Pacific. And obviously they could be, and have proved to be, the forerunner of a power station using this completely new source.

The NEL Device

The second of the first-generation devices supported by the DOE in 1976 was the Oscillating Water Column (OWC) unit, developed by the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL), East Kilbride, Scotland. Initial experiments described by Meir were concerned with achieving the optimum shape and size , comparing two- and three-dimensional devices, and assessing the performance of fixed and floating systems. Consideration was also given to the type of air turbine required and a Francis type recommended. In a later report, Moody explained that a free-floating concrete structure was selected in 1978 because of its low material cost even though some slight loss of hydrodynamic performance compared with a steel structure resulted. The Francis turbine would drive an a/c. generator, but, after transforming and rectifying, transmission ashore would be via a high voltage d/c. link. Moody also indicated that a seabed mounted OWC in shallow water (~ 15 m) was possible. These NEL devices were arranged in line to face the oncoming waves and were classified as 'terminators'.

An alternative arrangement in line and perpendicular to the line of the wave crests and with side openings has also been designed and tested as a model in the Edinburgh wave tank. This device, classified as an 'attenuator', would be at least 1.5 wavelengths long for cost effectiveness and productivity.

The Islay Device

The Islay Oscillating Water Column at Islay, is perhaps the most successful energy extractor of this size (60 KW) in operation today. The OWC chamber has been constructed at the end of a channel forming a natural estuary. The water surface within the OWC will oscillate vertically in simple harmonic motion. As the surface rises it exerts an upward pressureupon an entrained mass of air which is thus displaced from the OWC through the duct and into the path of the Wells Turbine. The volume which is displaced is considered to be that volume of air entrained by the OWC and the water surface when the water surface is at rest. The Islay OWC has a trapezoidal vertical cross- section and the volume under consideration will vary non-linearly inducing an obvious effect uponthe way in which the OWC cycle performs.

The hydropneumatic energy conver- sion stage of the Islay wave device is an Oscillating Water Column (OWC). The is a wave energy extraction device in which an entrained column of air is forced into damped harmonic motion by a rising and falling water surface. In the Islay device, an OWC is located at the end of a natural rock gulley, (as shown in the side picture). The OWC has an opening at the rear, through expelled air is ducted into a biplane Wells Turbine, which acts as the pneumatic-mechanical energy converter producing electric power, which is used locally.

The Islay OWC. Schematic diagram & Operational Outlay

The Norway Device

The next successful OWC pilot plant was established in Norway. This was the launch of the world's first wave energy station on 13 November 1985 on Toftestallen, a small island 35 miles north of Bergen. This OWC was a 19.6 m steel tower or chimney standing on the seabed in water 7 m deep. There is an opening in the side, 1 m above and the same distance below sea level, admitting the waves. As they rise to a peak outside, the column of water i nside the device rises also, pushing a pocket of air up inside the chimney and out through an air turbine into the atmosphere. As the water level falls into a trough, air is sucked back in from the atmosphere to fill the vacuum. The stream of air drives the turbine - a development of a Wells turbine, invented by Professor Wells at Queen's University, Belfast, so that it revolves in the same direction whether the air is coming from above or below. It can accept a burst of energy up to 1000 kW and revolve at up to 1500 rpm. On a wavy day, the OWC makes a booming-sighing sound, like two elephants engaged in copulation, as the air rises and falls inside the tall canister and set the turbine spinning. Nearby was a gap in the cliff, blasted by 15 tones of dynamite which took out 2000 m3 of rock in one blast. A 90 m concrete channel has been built into the gap, 3 m wide at the point where it meets the sea, gradually narrowing until it comes to a pointed end at 0.2 m in a reservoir at the top of the cliff, 3 m above sea level. The waves ride uphill, inside the channel, gradually gathering speed as they are squeezed into a diminishing space, bubbling up in apparent fury, spilling over the sides, and finally hitting the end of the channel and rising in a man-made geyser, reaching in a good sea as much as 27 m, the height of a nine-storey building.

The Islay OWC. Schematic diagram & Operational Outlay

The Norway OWC device - Cross SectionThe Norway OWC device The Norway OWC was a 19.6 m steel tower or chimney standing on the seabed in water 7 m deep. There is an opening in the side, 1 m above and the same distance below sea level, admitting the waves. As they rise to a peak outside, the column of water inside the device rises, pushing a pocket of air up inside the chimney and out through an air turbine into the atmosphere. As the water level falls into a trough air is sucked back in from the atmosphere to fill the vacuum. The stream of air drives a Wells turbine. Energy is up to 1000 kW at up to 1500 rpm.

Wave Energy Conversion Activator (WECA)

A new type of Wave Energy Conversion Activator device, codenamed WECA, according to the results deducted by the theoretical and experimental research concluded so far. The original full scale model WECA design proposed is made of steel, so as to be suitable for mounting on the run up wall of breakwaters or other rigid or floating structures.The material is by no means exclusive, as any other suitable material providing similar mechanical strength properties would comply, provided that scale economics allow it. It is hereby important to denote the suitability of the device for mounting either onto onshore, nearshore or offshore structures. Functionally, it serves the purpose of absorbing most of the energy of the impacting waves and turn it into compressed air (subsequently converted into electric power or other form of work). The contents included in this report, provide a minimal description of the primary theoretical aspects involved in the overall device behavior. Emphasis is given to the development dynamics concerning the behavior of a hydrodynamic phenomenon, resembling a virtual "Wedge" of kinetic energy rushing into the WECA's interior chamber. The codename nomenclature used for this phenomenon is C.M.W. (Critical Momentum Wedge principle). Next, a preliminary approach to develop a computer simulation model, for rendering the hydrodynamic behavior of progressive waves along modified seabed profiles was realized. This was followed by the respective approximate analysis for their interaction with the WECA device.

Furtheron, a cumulative estimation of the energy levels captured from the respective wavelengths considered as well as the delivered pressure ratios are also indicated.

At the project assessment, an experimental full scale prototype (a 7 m height and 6 m width model, two joined units used) was considered, so as to actually amply enable a wide variety of manufacturing and engineering aspects to become apparent, prior to advancing into the actual construction. The expected delivered power output is around 20 KW. A substantial amount of post-intermediate research has been completed allowing preliminary simulation and modeling of fluid dynamics, as expected to appear in the areas outside and inside the WECA's enclosure. Besides several engineering problems, mostly associated to stresses, materials and the geometry of the pilot model itself, some further advanced aspects appeared. These are closely related to the theoretical background of the governing principles for the "Hydrodynamic Wedge" characteristics, also demanding a mature solution. Therefore, our design merits have been refocused on advanced subjects, such as resonant effects of high speed fluid flow within non- uniformal ducts, impedance matching between highly different -by means of specific volume- thermodynamic fluids, synchronization of impedance matching effects between hydrostatic potential and "Wedge" related momentum, focusing in case of variable direction of incident waves, etc. Although a minor amount of theoretical and simulation work is still need to be completed, adequate experience has been already accumulated as to allow successful pilot modeling and subsequent industrial normalization.

At the very limited scope of this report, a brief account of theoretical deductions is outlayed, expressed in the form of obtainable pressure, as delivered by the WECA device, for a certain range of monochromatic sea conditions. For comparison purposes, the equivalent conditions have been applied to a simple cylindrical cross-section O.W.C. (Oscillating Water Column) device - currently the only viably proposed Wave Energy exploitation solution, with equivalent aperture area. This provides adequate evidence for both devices and their subsequently employed methodologies for wave energy extraction, to be compared. Only the wave upheave cycle results are depicted in the graphs and the exhaust valves of both devices remained closed to the end of the cycle.

Finally, an energy capture diagram for the full tested range of operations was obtained for both devices, followed by the estimated specific and average efficiencies diagram.

WECA early prototypes: Design Details for mounting on a Breakwater run-up wall	WECA early prototypes: Computer Rendering for mounting on a Breakwater run-up wall
Comparative diagram indicating Average & Specific Energy Capture Efficiency % for the WECA & OWC devices	Comparative diagram indicating Cumulative & Specific Energy Capture for the WECA & OWC devices
Compressed Air variation diagram as delivered by the WECA device w.r.t. Wavelength and Time	Compressed Air variation diagram as delivered by the OWC device w.r.t. Wavelength and Time

CMW: The underlying theory fundamentals - An essay on theoretical & experimental observations

An introduction to basic progressive wave dynamics - the Critical Momentum Wedge (CMW) principle

A simple pictorial overview of the linearised progressive wave theory (Airy-type waves) is demonstrated bellow, accompanied by a brief description. For further information the user is directed to related bibliography.

A sea wave whose "crest" is moving toward any direction parallel to the free sea level is defined as "running wave". The waves in the open seas are running waves (DIAGRAM 1). The propagation speed of running waves depends on the their wavelength (L) as well as the depth of the sea. In shallow seas the waves move with the same velocity regardless of their wavelength. The running wave is not produced by mass transfer of water particles but by transfer of their kinetic energy to the adjacent ones. This way, the sea particles perform circular motions with approximately constant orbital speed (DIAGRAM 2). In open seas, where the large depth to the sea bed permits the development of waves of large wavelength and of relatively small height, the motion of the water particles is theoretically circular. In reality, however, a small excess in velocity during the ascent to the wave crest phase produces a relatively small displacement of the sea particles along the direction of the blowing wind. This roughly circular motion, which creates the impression of displaced and running waves, is performed on circles of radii decreasing exponentially with increasing depth. Furthermore, in a shallow sea, of depth less than L/2, the circular motion near the surface turns, with increasing depth, into elliptical of increasing eccentricity and with the major axis parallel to the sea bed. The eccentricity becomes equal to one and the motion linear and oscillatory on the sea bed. The momentum of the particles performing these motions is a decreasing function of the depth. In this basically laminar motion of the sea particles, where all perform circular or elliptical motion, transfer of momentum occurs smoothly from each particle to the adjacent ones. The characteristics and process of displacement of running waves is shown in (DIAGRAM 3).

The critical depth Hcmw computed for any continuous sea area define a surface-locus of the "center of critical moments". This surface is a horizontal plane at fixed depth for seas of large depth. The characteristic ratio Hcmw /(L/4) increases for decreasing depth. This means that the Center of Critical Moment at a given sea location (it is the point at depth Hcmw below the water surface) approaches the sea bed either as the depth decreases (DIAGRAM 4). As it is mentioned below, by taking advantage of these properties, we can collect a large part of the kinetic and potential energy (the latter due to the height of the water above the mean free surface) in a properly designed converter -in this case the WECA device manufactured by DAEDALUS. If the sea bed in front of the above vertical wall is given a suitable form similar to the surface of the locus of the Centers of Critical Moment, then the motion of the running wave during its ascending phase follows the sea bed surface carrying with it most of its total energy. This energy, at the end of the phase of ascent becomes partly potential, i.e. "water level". The height to which the wave rises before its surface line "breaks", depends on the energy that its water mass includes and is proportional to the square of wave height.

As is expected, once the kinetic energy of the wave is converted into potential (water level), its velocity vanishes and the phase of wave descent begins. Meanwhile, the motion of the Centers of Critical Moments has followed the path of the running waves, while the paths of the sea particles contained inside the volume V(Hcmw) formed a group motion, which we call "Critical Momentum Wedge?. The formation of CMW comes gradually closer to the sea bed, whereas its direction between initial and final point changes by 90 degrees (i.e. the vertical wave velocity becomes higher than the horizontal one). As a theoretical assumption according to the CMW principle, at some point of this orbital progression and after the upper wave motion has seized, the resultant action of three component forces, that is, the horizontal wave velocity, the hydrostatic pressure and the reaction normal to and upward from the sea bed, will cause the current orbit to collapse and therefore provide a rapid kinetic energy burst directed along the horizontal axis. After the completion of this phase, the phenomenon repeats itself with a period equal to the period of the wave motion. It transpires from the hitherto presentation that it is possible, through a properly shaped sea floor or, through an artificial immersed surface, to direct the Critical Momentum Wedge inside a special device that will receive the energy of the sea particles participating in the motion. Such an arrangement is schematically demonstrated in the following animation, simulating the overall CMW principle and subsequent energy capture (in the form of compressed air) in a simple energy capturing device.

DIAGRAM 1	DIAGRAM 2
DIAGRAM 3	DIAGRAM 4

CMW: Experimental Evidence & Deductions

An experimental approach to the CMW development parameters definition

A significant indication for the C.M.W. existence is provided by the experimental works of Prof. W.Dursthoff (Hannover Univ.). According to the published proceedings (NEL publication "1993 EUROPEAN WAVE ENERGY SYMPOSIUM") Prof. Dursthoff tests were performed on large-scale, quasi-prototype model sites (Hannover Large Wave Flume). Actual digital recordings were obtained on the incident impact forces acting normal to a breakwater model, as induced by four representative cases of variable wavelength waves. A graphical representation of the respective results is provided by DIAGRAMS 1-4.

As demonstrated, longer wavelengths apply as developing from "LOADING CASE 1 to CASE 4" and different "wave-breaking" effects are subsequently obtained. A significantly longer wavelength is apparent in CASE 4 -by comparison to the previous cases- and the respective Vertical Velocity vector VV is significantly greater than the previous cases. As expected, the opposite holds for the Horizontal Velocity vector VH, which is now significantly lesser than in the previous cases.

Clearly demonstrated in CASE 4, is the occurrence of two well defined humps. This indicates the existence of two momentum carriers in the time domain, separated by a magnitude of about 0.5s. Assuming that the wave has a Phase Velocity of C=3m/s -which is a typical phase velocity-, the distance between the two momentum carriers is about 1.5m .

At this point we should recapitulate on the governing principles of the C.M.W. theory. Hence, the water particle orbits (motion orbits) in the presence of progressive waves are either circles or ellipses, the horizontal diameters of which decrease exponentially with depth. Moreover, a similar condition should also apply to the velocity vector of the water particles, to a proportional amount. The last becomes obvious if realized, that the corresponding orbits are concluded at the same time interval, that is, the wave period interval. According to the C.M.W. theory, there is a region of momentum between the water surface and the depth at which the particle orbits become zero, which represents the resultant of all other momenta upwards and downwards of that region. Simply put, if we average the momenta of all the particle motion, we would obtain a result equal to the momentum of CMW. Evidently, all these water particles constitute mass regions each of which carries a certain momentum. Therefore, we may conceptualize another aspect of the CMW principle, if we consider a mass region -placed between the wave surface and the depth at which the particles? orbital motion becomes zero- which represents the resultant of all the adjacent mass regions with regard to their momentum.

Back on "LOADING CASE 4", the first load hump to appear is due to the momentum carried by the wave front. The second hump is apparently due to the C.M.W. momentum. A plausible query becomes apparent now, as to the reasons that clearly defined second humps do not appear on the other loading cases. We may therefore conclude that the longer the wave length is, the greater will be the depth whereat the CMW becomes apparent. Dursthoff's tests were performed in a wedge-shaped formatted sea-bed, the formation starting 3m in front of the breakwater wall. Now, if we consider a s imple schematic reasoning (see CMW simulation), when a progressive wave is confronted with a formatted seabed, a gradual deformation of the particle orbits will also commence. Consequently, for longer wavelengths, the CMW effect would delay accordingly with respect to the wave front.

Therefore in short wavelengths, an insignificant time lag separates the apparent load induced by the wave front, from that due to the action of C.M.W. On the contrary, in long wavelengths the distinction becomes quite clear. Hence, the diagrams corresponding to "Loading CASES 1-3" do not clearly depict the secondary loading forces due to the C.M.W. effect, since its action occurs so close to the surface that its loading profile appears almost simultaneously to the wave front action.

The above resumed experimental descriptions, provide a direct and clear indication for the existence and dynamic behavior assumed in the CMW theory. A number of precise recordings leading to a more accurate description of the phenomenon, have been conducted to a small testing rig and pool with 1/10 WECA scale models. In turn, this has further helped conclude to a better evaluation of the applicable dynamics on the WECA structure resulting to a minimization of structural and formation components.

As an example, an important conclusion deducted from the Dursthoff experiments, is that only a small initial part of the seabed modification is enough to account for the major part of described dynamics and imposed loads on the breakwater. The same holds for the evolution of the CMW over the progressing wave.

DIAGRAM 1

DIAGRAM 2

DIAGRAM 3

DIAGRAM 4

Wind Energy CONverter device (WECON)

The WECON-R PDP200 turbine - Introduction to an innovative wind energy converter for marine applications

The requirement to take advantage of the ample wind energy resource in marinescape rather than landscape environments, has received considerable attention and financial support recently. An apparent deduction would be to incorporate wind energy conversion on marine platforms and possibly provide hybrid solutions by capture of both resources. It is -perhaps- little realized that such a scheme is faced with many technical challenges. At first, a moving platform is a highly inappropriate basis for installing the conventional breed of horizontal axis turbines, since excessive bending stresses and gyroscopic loads would create a prohibiting environment. Depending on size, they would also impose floating behavior problems to the platforms. On the other hand, power captured by both resources would have to be synchronized or be made commonly available for utilization. These were some of the major problems that had to be addressed on the design of a candidate wind capture system for the WECA-PDP500 platform.

The solution provided was a new radial type converter, with relatively simple manufacturing requirements, spanning across the 30m width of the platform. Anticipated design diameter was 14m, the upper 8m of which are subjected to incident wind, giving a total capture area A equal to about 240m². Suggested material for blades was light aluminum foil, yet better cost/performance solutions may well be under consideration along future development. Blades were designed for delivering maximum torque from the available incident force of the wind, by acting as both, front-end impulse type and back-end reaction type turbine, along air path from inlet to outlet.

The pressure profile applied to the WECON-R PDP200 could be simply estimated as the pressure difference between that captured by the device (a function of its angular velocity) and, the dynamic pressure effected to its inlet aperture by the incident wind, at any particular wind velocity, For reasons of simplicity, we will consider small linear displacement of the blades than angular one This may be expressed as:

 which can be also written as  (Since the force is in the direction of decreasing pressure, a minus sign is required)

where,
= mass of fluid (air) entering the WECON-R PDP200 turbine aperture
= area of the aperture
= dynamic pressure difference (newtons per meter²)
= velocity difference between incident air and blades (meters per second)
= time interval (seconds)
= linear displacement length (meters)
= density of air (1025 kilograms per meter³)
= air velocity

Since the air travels the length of the displacement during the time interval, we obtain the velocity as to arrive to an equation that is ready for integration

  and  

where P_a is the incident air pressure (dynamic pressure), P_b is the actual pressure applied to the turbine, V_a is the incident air velocity and V_a is the actual peripheral velocity of the turbine. Apparently, an increase of the incident air velocity, will increase the dynamic pressure applied to the turbine and as a result, increase the velocity of the turbine. As estimated, the actual radial velocity will vary between 35%-25% of the wind velocity, resulting to an average rotation of about 4 RPM. The optimal rotational speed is dynamically controlled by the counter-torque returned by the ANEMIRA power uptake device, in the form of compressed air assisted braking. This stage of conversion is the final one in the total energy capture cycle by the WECA PDP500 platform. Its operation is based on the input provided by the dual wave energy to compressed air cycles. This input varies between 1.5-2.0 atm (absolute) and the ANEMIRA device will use the WECON-R PDP200 provided power as to upgrade this pressure to 3.0-4.0 atm.

In Fig 1 the profiles of pressure versus air velocity are presented, where red graph denotes the net dynamic pressure exerted by the incident wind on the turbine inlet, when assuming no turbine rotation. In this case, about 150 Kg of thrust load are applied to the turbine aperture area at 10 m/sec wind speed and, about 600 Kg at 20 m/sec. The blue graph denotes the actual pressure applied to the turbine when rotating to nominal speed. The green graph denotes the pressure outlet from the turbine when rotating at nominal speed. It actually represent turbine conversion efficiency.

The overall performance of the WECON-R PDP200 turbine was tuned as to abide by the adverse marine terrain. Among design considerations was stable performance under pitching behavior of the platform, capacity to present an inert behavior to wind gusts and turbulent flow and good performance over high wind speed.

A limited number of technical optimization issues had to be considered. The relatively high inertial mass, does not allow agile turbine engagement at low wind speed. A highly effective solution was provided by allowing torque pre-compensation by the ANEMIRA device. In this case, the turbine would be allowed to rotate at lower cut-in wind speed, by using ANEMIRA in drive mode (by reserve pressure stored in air-container). This action would take advantage of lower wind potentials and ameliorate overall efficiency and inertial behavior. The above principles and the WECON-R PDP200 power performance are illustrated in Fig 2.

Expectedly, the simple engineering construction and very robust operation of the WECON-R PDP200 contribute to minimal maintenance requirements and a small MTTR (Mean Time To Repair). In addition, the very low revolutions exert a mediocre load to the axis bearings, highly extending maintenance intervals and reducing failure probabilities. Protection of the turbine due to extreme weather is automated chamber casing isolation via shutter gate. The same procedure is used for maintenance purposes.

Finally, average efficiency varies between 37%-40%, highest values obtained for wind speeds in the order of 12 m/sec. The very low RPM required for nominal power, is a primary feature for environmental acceptance, since it implies minimal noise.

ANEMIRA: Pneumato-Mechanical Power Conversion

The ANEMIRA device preliminary - introduction to multi-purpose pneumaticmechanical converter

The problems faced into design of a power uptake system for the WECA-PDP500 flexible wave/wind converter, was to deliver compressed air from the final wind capture stage, at best possible ratio of pressure/volume, under a continually variable torque. On a following stage, stored compressed air should be used for driving on platform machinery, used either for producing electricity, or driving appropriate pumping gear.

The classic solution offered so far by most wave energy converters -and probably from all known OWC converters- was utilization of a Wells-type or impulse-type turbine, in tandem operation with an electric generator. There is a wide portfolio of problems arising from this configuration. These can be easily appreciated from inspection of the comparative operation of the complete actual conversion process, where wave surface elevation, chamber pressure and electric power generation, are presented in the following diagram:

As observed, the fluctuation of the OWC chamber pressure caused by variation of the wave surface, creates a cumbersome impedance matching problem for the turbine. In addition, excess fluctuation in air-pressure in OWC, actually stalls the turbine and further reduces an already poor energy coefficient, which usually remains in the area of around 30%. This is the main reason for not been able to produce higher pressures in OWC chambers, by appropriate geometry formation. This, in turn, is among major obstacles for taking better advantage of larger wavelengths, without reverting to excessively large chamber dimensions.

Taking these deductions into account, the solution given by the design team was a multipurpose pneumato-mechanical star-type reciprocating converter, driven by feed-back control. Entire assembly is manufactured by standard market components and control of electro-pneumatic valves is performed via an embedded microcomputer. The device was codenamed "ANEMIRA". Since it is completely driven by software control, the thermodynamic cycle can be completely dynamically configured for a broad envelope of input-output requirements. Among unique features, is that the device may operate as either an adaptable air-brake (i.e. air-compressor) or, as a pneumatic drive motor. Hence, by software control of valve sequencing, operation of either torque-to-pressure or, pressure-to-torque is obtained. In the former case, ANEMIRA is used as the power uptake mechanism for the radial wind turbine on the platform, whilst in the latter case, as a drive for a proposed series of high pressure sea water pumps, via an RPM upgrade gearbox, since anticipated nominal revolution range is in the order of 50-100 RPM. The desired power capacity, can be either a parameter of the piston assembly size, or, can be delivered by serial coupling of a number of devices on the same axis. This advantage is offered by feed-back control and adaptable, software-driven cycle. The possible nominal feed-air pressure may span from 2-20 bar, although for the expected integration in the WECA-PDP500 platform, a range of 2-4 atm is selected as optimal.

Most notable utilization of the dynamically adjustable (i.e. feedback driven) cycle, was obtained in ANEMIRA operation as the power uptake mechanism for the WECON-R PDP200 wind energy converter. The optimal power capture was made possible by variable pressure compensation as the counterbalance to torque delivered at the axis of the radial converter.

ANEMIRA engine - 10KW early experimental prototype

The following diagrams demonstrate operational features of the thermodynamic cycle (W=theoretical cycle, Wi=indicated cycle), when ANEMIRA is operated as a pressure-to-torque drive. This function is used to drive electric generators or pumps -depending on desired application. The cycle is composed by 6 state changes. Design of the cycle anticipated operation under both variable load and variable feed pressure (2-4 atm absolute). The examples presented in the Fig 15 assume only variation of feed pressure in two levels, a 4 atm case and a 3 atm case, whilst load is maintained constant. Under this constrain, the device is delivering the same amount of work in both cases, by variation of the Constant Pressure Expansion stage (numbered as 4-5 in the diagram). The third illustration in Fig 15 demonstrates this operation, since shaded areas (ABCDA) and (AB'C'D'A) are equal.

A considerably higher thermodynamic efficiency was obtained by ANEMIRA, by comparison to conventional marine turbines. Efficiencies in the order of 80% may be achieved at optimal operation. Efficiency is decreasing with decrease of feed pressure value, for a given constant work delivery, hence an average efficiency in the order of 60-70% may be expected. Of particular importance is the fact of regular and stabilized operation provided to either motor or pump, enabling engagement of low-cost generators and easy coupling to the electric power network.

Another notable feature is robust and fault tolerable operation, very little maintenance requirements and high MTBF, practically concentrated to filters and hoses. The ANEMIRA offers a viable alternative to cumbersome problems caused by salt water and adverse marine environment, to hydraulic drive systems

Theoretical Work delivered by the ANEMIRA device can be estimated, for any particular thermodynamic cycle characteristics followed for a given feed pressure available, by calculating the MEP (Mean Effective Pressure) for this cycle. This is depended on the following cycle ratios:

U_s/U₁ = r
U₂/U_s = a
U₄/U_s = b

The P_m is then taken to be the following relation


ANEMIRA engine:
Thermodynamic Cycle
details and Mean

Work given per cycle could now be also:
Area (ABCDEFA) = Area (AB'C'F'A)

and is conequently given by:

W = P_m x U_s

Where Us is the swept volume of the piston.
Power (KW) at nominal operation is given by:

P = N x P_m x L x A x 2n x 1/4500 x 1/1.360

Where N is the number of cylinders in the engine,
P_m is MEP pressure in (kg/cm²)
L is the piston travel length (m)
A is piston area (cm²)
n is the number of active strokes per minute, which is here multiplied by 2 since the engine pistons operate in double action mode).

Energy Storage and Utilization Efficiency

Sorry, is under construction !

Flexible floating structures providing for both coastal protection and wave energy exploitation and their integration in coastal management systems

A preliminary assessment

Evangelos Mylonas, Antonis Vordonis R&D Dept., DAEDALUS Informatics, Athens, Greece

Coastal zones are considered to be areas where land and sea influence, meet and interact. The coastal band varies depending on the nature of the environment, the interactions of the marine and terrestrial coastal processes and the management needs. Coastal zones occupy less than 15% of the Earth's land surface, yet they accommodate more than 60% of the world's population. Exploitation of natural wealth resources added to an accelerating urbanization will further amplify this trend, so by 2025 there could be up to 75% of humanity residing in coastal areas (UNCED, 1992). Most of the world coastal ecosystems potentially threatened by unsustainable development are located within northern temperate and northern equatorial zones with Europe having 86% of its coasts at either high or moderate risk. The necessity for immediate constitution of an advanced awareness level for the multi-dimensional protection and sustainable growth of coastal regions, is clearly apparent. Sustainable development solutions for the coastal communities, should not be considered as an option. There is an urgent need to comprehend the peril of a delicate environment where the wealthy resource of the natural capital, may be equally well become jeopardized if treated under the same imprudent economic, civil and growth model that prevailed in our societies so far. The demanding path towards establishing a framework for sustainable development, is bound to depend on the synergy and ample benefits of the natural renewable resources and, harvest their energy income as the motive force in new efficient methods for assessing processes and products. The wave and wind potential available in the coastal environment is usually plentiful. Under a new approach of energy capture, the intermitted nature of these resources, could be feasibly assessed by conjunction to reserve energy storage, in the form of pumped storage of sea water, to an appropriate natural or artificial reservoir of higher altitude. This may in turn offer the primary opportunity for sustainable growth within very viable economic prerequisites, if moderated to follow a rational strategy of exploitation and growth. The design of a series of flexible and cost-effective multipurpose floating structures, could optimally meet this goal and accelerate venture interests required for a healthy growth in the renewable technologies field. The purpose of this paper is to offer a preliminary technical and financial presentation of long applicable research conducted by DAEDALUS Informatics towards such an endeavour, as to assist an elaborate further executive assessment on feasibility and merit of this scope.

SCADA: The requirement for Remote Data Acquisition & Control

Sorry, is under construction !

The Future - towards a model of Hydrogen Economy based on RET

Why hydrogen should be produced at sea

The era of the Hydrogen Economy has been long advocated as the tinder to a parallel societal shift and, persuasively promoted by science and automotive industry. However, irrespective to the fact that the societal benefits expected along with the sustainability and environmental rational, cannot -evidently- be an argument of dispute, the reality of thermodynamics and operational costs do not let much doubt to consider. However, it is a common notion that any new milestone achievement towards ameliorating these issues, is a tangible offer to the realm of a sustainable and humane future.

The costs of intermittent renewable energy are currently running at about 3 times the cost of natural gas. In addition, at today's energy prices, it is considerably more expensive to produce hydrogen by water electrolysis than by reforming of fossil fuels, as it costs around $6.0 for every GJ of hydrogen energy produced from natural gas and $20.0 per GJ to produce hydrogen by electrolysis of water -about 3-4 times more expensive to produce Hydrogen by electrolysis than by reforming of fossil fuels. On the transportation side, to transport Hydrogen is again 3-4 times higher delivery cost than to transport any of the liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Current status in advanced storage capacity options offer gravimetric hydrogen density ratios around 4 wt% and volumetric capacities around 100 (kg-H₂/m²). Even if forthcoming progress with Carbon nanotubes -or otherwise- doubles the gravimetric density to 10 wt%, a ratio of 10/1 will remain a considerable limit to size on land transport terms. So, an effort to promote Hydrogen as the obvious alternative, would have to compete against a list of serious burdens.

To this goal, significant developments in either thermodynamics or materials, should probably not be expected to contribute a breakthrough solution. The rational for further deployment should then focus on innovative parallel methods to attain highly more effective and efficient operational control. The primary target would be to assess capacity C. Hence, if it is assumed that capacity can be increased several orders of magnitude at minimal economic terms, then the capital cost of offering a Hydrogen infrastructure, would increase mainly in proportion to the volume put into storage and the main costs would be those of generating the hydrogen, compression and of the infrastructure for accessing the storage reservoir. In this case, the average and total yearly costs would be given by the product V h; where h denotes the average cost per unit volume of generating the hydrogen and putting it into storage. Consequently, the average cost of storage per kWh would then be given by:

C/V = h

and would become practically independent of the frequency of the charge-discharge cycle. The conclusion under this rational is clear: Probably the only viable path to take advantage from such a strategy, is if Hydrogen production becomes sea born. Such a transition, would obviously benefit from aggregate utilization of the marine resource and technological excellence, as to combine high efficiency electrolysis Hydrogen generation via use of wave/wind energy, storage and management in very large floating vessels, low cost transportation, along with on site electric power generation. Important to highlight here is that current research demonstrates an improved gravimetric and volumetric overall density performance when combinatorial storage with both Hydrides and high air pressure is used. Perhaps, the decisive action towards an international marine venture for Hydrogen, will be the realization that this shift may also steer the natural migration of the oil shipping industry, further enhanced with capacity for floating electric power production.

As has been described on previous chapters, the WECA PDP500 platform series has been designed with a dual target:

a) to address the multitude requirements of coastal communities at a local level
b) to offer a clear path for growth based on resource and/or industrial infrastructure exploitation.

The previous chapters have demonstrated the former dimension and exemplified the basics of this path via most feasible examples.

The latter dimension is bundled to the evolution of Hydrogen Economy. The WECA platforms have been also designed for off-shore deployment, with a singular application of producing Hydrogen via electrolysis and the required further provisions for docking and loading of floating containers with this product. The initial cycle of compressed air production prior to electric power conversion, may provide an additional benefit for the storage cycle procedures and economics. The off-shore resource (50 m sea depth or more) may offer at least twice the power than near shore access. Fig 1 offers a pictorial presentation example of such a site, candidate for mass deployment, southwest of the island of Crete. The available resource is estimated to exceed the 30 KW/m range, as well as to offer the least possible hazard to environmental or navigational offsets. In this deployment, a number of 3000 platform units could be commissioned in properly formed arrays, as to deliver an annual average power of about 1.5 GWe. Although the limits of this paper cannot allow an extensive economic analysis, such a wave energy site could deliver the equivalent weight of 8 million tons of Hydrogen per year. At a current commercial production cost of about $4.50 / Kg H₂ , the plant would yield 35 billion dollars per year.

Conclusions

The wave energy field history includes -unfortunately- a series of strategy and policy mistakes, that have in turn provoked a serious lag in commercial progress. Further to the fact of realizing the significance of public awareness, it is equally important to realize the issues that will ensure credibility and economics -not an enthusiastic approach. Although Sustainability versus Complexity is commonly considered a 21st Century challenge affecting progress and life as we know it, it may also be our chance to demonstrate that we are finally capable of exercising rational progress.

The described proposal outlined a feasible part of a possible spectrum of strategies, for a portfolio of benefits and options offered to coastal communities' development cycle, via synergistic use of Renewable Energy in combination to modern Coastal Engineering Technology, administered under extensive application of an advanced Telematics environment. The combination of these enabling technologies under a new design perspective, resourcing from a renewable and sustainable natural income, may radically address a chain of civil issues, most notable being: power generation, energy storage, desalination, irrigation, fisheries cultivation, coastal protection, each baring a concatenating importance for sustainability. Coastal community infrastructure assessment could -under this planning scheme-offer a new raised perspective of ameliorated and prodigious management and sustainable exploitation for a number of conventional, as well as number of novelty areas, briefly cited as:

• Feasibility rational for implementation of an extensive use of advanced multi- purpose coastal engineering/erosion prevention schemes, coupled to wave energy exploitation for community rehabilitation purposes (floating harbours, ecologically adept coastal protection, electric power production, desalination).
• New job opportunities in a wealth of fields (Shipping and maintenance, Marine and coastal tourism, Desalination and water management, Aquaculture, Marine and coastal structures,
• Promote and demonstrate viable transition strategies needed to move from today's fossil-based energy economy to one based on hydrogen and electricity as energy vectors. These, and other, important issues are in turn essential for indirectly accelerating development of other supplementary -but highly important-fields, such as fuel cells commercialisation. Wave Energy Technology projects proposed using the WECA PDP500 platforms, are feasible today and employ moderate technology and high efficiency, at scalable cost. Projected service lifetimes per floating platform, is among 25-30 years.

Marketing & Financial Aspects

Technology with a safe future

The global situation in energy and environmental policy aspects, has currently ended up into a highly complex and confusing state. It should appear as a fact of no particular surprise that although amazingly serious problems such as the environment, the booming demand for energy growth, the overpopulation of the third world, do not seem to awaken the developed countries from apathy -as if all peril that might suddenly accrue, will happen somewhere else than Earth.

Irrespective to the reasoning and rational -or lack of it- that brought humanity and civilization at this predicament, a few immediate deductions are readily apparent:

a) there is no instantaneous solution, neither is a way back to the age of euphoria b) if there are some solutions to the energy and environmental problems, will have to follow the most apparent way for success, which will certainly not be free from industrial and commercial benefits.

It is about time to consider such facts as granted, for the simple reason that societies have no longer the luxury of regarding them as ethics or philosophy. Renewable Energy Technology (RET) for a lengthy list of reasons, is due to become a major asset in worldwide energy strategy regeneration, accompanied by the expected shift in Hydrogen - based energy economy. Under these simple assumptions, DAEDALUS position states, that the most adept Renewable Energy field to quantitatively bridge the traditional and the upcoming energy economy, is advanced Wave Energy Technology.

DAEDALUS, after nearly 17 years of industrial research on this field, is currently placed among the most successful candidates to assess part of these problems. The range of Wave Power based or Hybrid RET products offered -along with our "state of the art" technological status, are able to provide a viable solution to a wide number of applications, today.

DAEDALUS approach, represents an innovative, mature and thoroughly designed solution to a multidimensional and inherently complex problem.

The methods adopted for the development of the WECA, WECON and ANEMIRA systems, have been treated to such a degree of modularity and standardization, so as to justify the claim of turn key product solutions. The solutions currently offered are able to undergo a high degree of customization, verifying suitability for virtually any case of small to medium energy project.

Modularity and simplicity of design allows for adaptability to a variety of environmental conditions upon foundation operations. Moreover, true scalability of solutions and methods, results in a rapidly adaptable solution straight after completion of theoretical estimations and simulation.

This flexible and innovative approach, has met a positive response from the academic and industrial community, further promoting our intention to offer a solution with the standardization required as to deserve the title of "commercially fit product".

• DAEDALUS is currently self-sufficient by means of human resources, know-how and technology infrastructure. Upon successful participation in EEC funded R&D and subsequent experimental modeling, the Company has entered the industrial phase of operations seeking for financial venture partners in manufacturing and/or engineering, in the international domain.
• The immediate aim is the implementation of a 100 KW, hybrid, multipurpose RET plant.
• Such a demonstration project should clearly rationalize large scale commercial investment as a second step, for a number of purposes -such as desalinization or electric power production.

After a thorough appreciation of the actual worldwide demand for RET projects, it was decided that the full spectrum of services and know-how developed under DAEDALUS, would become also available as a composite product. This market initiative is targeted to fulfill the demand from Contractors or Enterprises requiring a high degree of technology integration or private control. A number of parameters have been carefully considered as to make such a transaction attainable, including subjects such as technology transfer, regular retraining and know-how update, experts case assistance, territorial copyright claims transfer, to name but a few. Finally, the Company's continual R&D on the field, safeguards the technology investment and promotes the expansion of its market potential. A number of additional related applications -such as the integration of our RET products with floating marine structures- are currently under investigation. Evolution, is the very essence of success.

DAEDALUS is able to offer high quality total solutions to prospective partners. Solutions offered may be targeted to specific applications, although particular emphasis is assigned to the OEM or venture markets.

The Company also excels in comprising advanced know-how and product maturity, regularly updated international patent rights, complete documentation, powerful simulation and visualization S/W technology, able to effectively speed up and automate research works. Continual R&D towards specifications improvement and, all the required expert advice, is constantly there to safeguard your investment

If your esteemed interests belong to this category of investment, you will certainly find not only highly innovative products and concepts in DAEDALUS, but also a team of professional partners to go along and support all your way to success into a rapidly evolving field.

Please contact DAEDALUS Informatics at the address provided bellow for any further detail.

It is Technology designed for a safer and better future