Summary
The power supply for ocean robots has always been an important issue since it has a fatal influence on the endurance of these vehicles. However, the marine renewable energy (MRE) has huge potential and can provide the possibility to solve this problem between essential endurance and finite energy in ocean robots. This paper starts with brief introduction of marine energy resource and ocean robots and presents significance of improving ocean robots' endurance, through comparison of their performance characteristics. MRE applied in ocean robots developed or under development, including energy conversion and driving principle, is reviewed, such as solar, wind, tides, waves, thermal energy, etc. Many challenges and difficulties are also discussed in energy exploitation and utilization related to ocean robots. Finally, the prospect for the future development of related technologies is proposed in this paper.
Wave driven unmanned surface vehicle (WUSV) is a new concept ocean robot drived by wave energy and solar energy, and it is very suitable for the vast ocean observations with incomparable endurance. Its dynamic modeling is very important because it is the theoretical foundation for further study in the WUSV motion control and efficiency analysis. In this work, the multibody system of WUSV was described based on D-H approach. Then, the driving principle was analyzed and the dynamic model of WUSV in longitudinal profile is established by Lagrangian mechanics. Finally, the motion simulation of WUSV and comparative analysis are completed by setting different inputs of sea state. Simulation results show that the WUSV dynamic model can correctly reflect the WUSV longitudinal motion process, and the results are consistent with the wave theory.
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