Application of the optimal command method to the control of the SEAREV wave energy converter: a study on the influence of time constants on the efficiency of latching control
Résumé
This paper deals with latching control of the SEAREV wave energy converter. It has been shown in previous studies that latching control could improve considerably the efficiency of the system, but it was assumed that the actuators apply forces instantaneously. In reality, there exist time constants in the response of the actuators which can have an influence on the benefit that one could expect from the control and this issue is adressed in this paper. First, equation of motion of the SEAREV is written under the form of state equation. Then, optimal command theory is applied in order to compute the command, using a weak modelisation to describe latching control and a first order model to describe the actuators. Time domain simulations were performed, and results show that the time constants can affect strongly the efficiency of the latching control.