Designing a safety structure for an onshore pivoted wave energy converter: numerical and experimental investigation

The present work concerns the development of a protection system for an onshore WEC device. The considered WEC system has been developed within a publicly funded research project, named GENERA, and is composed by a pivoting floating body which transfer wave energy to an electromechanical PTO. The energy conversion system, developed by Umbra Cuscinetti Spa, is composed by an electrical generator integrated in a ball-screw mechanism. The floating body, which operates the transformation of wave energy into mechanical energy, was developed by Seapower together with its support structure. In order to prevent possible damages due to extreme waves, the device is provided with a safety system. The principal loading conditions expected under extreme waves are investigated by means of numerical and experimental analyses.