WEC prototype advancement with consideration of a real-time damage accumulation algorithm

Abstract

Machine maintenance and repair is not a trivial issue when it comes to renewable energy devices. It has been said that one of the most important factors in enhancing the marketability of wind energy is to cut its overall maintenance costs, which is about 10% -20% of the overall cost of energy [1]. The average maintenance and repair costs of ocean wave energy devices are yet to be determined, but it may be higher than wind energy. The harsh ocean environment, repeated cycling of the drive train, coastal storms, environmental concerns, loss of revenue due to long periods of machine downtime, safety issues concerning technicians working on the buoy while it's still in operation, and so forth, all add to the maintenance and repair costs of a WEC (Wave Energy Converter). This study proposes a unique damage accumulation prediction algorithm that enables real-time determination of bearing fatigue life.