A SEMINAR ON ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM OCEAN WAVES

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGG.

Seminar GuideMr. Kamal yadav (lecturer)

Seminar CoordinatorMr. Saood Ali (lecturer)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION WHAT CAUSES A WAVE? WAVE ENERGY OCEAN WAVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES HOW IT WORKS ? A POINT ABSORBER ATTENUATORS TERMINATORS ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION:
OCEAN WAVES: A raised line of water that moves across the surface of the ocean etc. WHAT CAUSES A WAVE? The winds cause waves on the surface of the ocean The wind transfers some of its energy to the water, through friction between the air molecules and the water molecules. Waves of water do not move horizontally, they only move up and down.

WAVE ENERGY
In the open ocean, the friction moving the waves generates energy within the water. This energy is then passed between water molecules in ripples called waves of transition. When the water molecules receive the energy, they move forward slightly and form a circular pattern. The exchange of energy between water molecules also makes the ocean crisscrossed with waves traveling in all directions.

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Wave energy can be extracted and converted into electricity by wave power machines. The total power of waves breaking on the world's coastlines is estimated at 2 to 3 million megawatts. I In favourable locations, wave energy density can average 65 megawatts per mile of coastline.

OCEAN WAVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES: Wave technologies have been designed to be installed in nearshore, offshore and far offshore locations. Offshore systems are situated in deep water, typically of more than 40 meters (131 feet).
approaches to capturing wave energy

Float or Pitching Device

Oscillating Water Columns

Hinged contour device

HOW IT WORKS ?
At wave power station, the waves arriving cause the water in the chamber to rise and fall, which means that air is forced in and out of the hole in the top of the chamber. We place a turbine in this hole, which is turned by the air rushing in and out. The turbine turns a generator. A problem with this design is that the rushing air can be very noisy, unless a silencer is fitted to the turbine.

wide variety of different devices generally fall into one of three categories as follows:

1. A POINT ABSORBER
A floating structure with components that move relative to each other due to wave action (e.g., a floating buoy inside a fixed cylinder). The relative motion is used to drive electromechanical or hydraulic energy converters Point absorbers harvest energy from waves arriving from any direction

2. ATTENUATORS
They have their principal axis parallel to the direction of the incoming wave. A single mooring attachment permits the device to adjust its orientation to the wave direction. Example:A company called Pelamis Wave Power are developing a method of offshore wave energy collection, using a floating tube called "Pelamis".

This long, hinged tube (about the size of 5 railway carriages) bobs up and down in the waves, as the hinges bend they pump hydraulic fluid which drives generators.

3.TERMINATORS Extend perpendicular to the direction of wave travel and capture or reflect the power of the wave. These devices are typically onshore or near shore and have the potential to absorb all or most of its energy. Example: The oscillating water column is a form of terminator A company called Wavegen operate a commercial wave power station called "Limpet" on the Scottish island of Islay.

ADVANTAGES :
The energy is free - no fuel needed, no waste produced. Not expensive to operate and maintain. Can produce a great deal of energy. Wave energy is renewable. The energy produced is clean and non polluting. There is no carbon dioxide or any other by-products released. It produces no greenhouse gases or other waste.

DISADVANTAGES:
Depends on the waves - sometimes you'll get loads of energy, sometimes almost nothing. Needs a suitable site, where waves are consistently strong. Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem. Must be able to withstand very rough weather.

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Can disturb or disrupt marine life including changes in the distribution and types of marine life near the shore

May degrade scenic ocean front views from wave energy devices located near or on the shore, and from onshore overhead electric transmission lines.

CONCLUSION:
Traditional sources of energy such as oil, gas, and coal are non-renewable. They also create pollution by releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. In contrast, waves are a renewable source of energy that doesn't cause pollution. The energy from waves alone could supply the world's electricity needs. The total power of waves breaking on the world's coastlines is estimated at 2 to 3 million megawatts. In some locations, the wave energy density can average 65 megawatts per mile of coastline. The problem is how to harness wave energy efficiently and with minimal environmental, social, and economic impacts.