We have developed a way of harvesting electrical energy from the ocean power, e.g. tide, current, wave, breaking wave and vortex, using a flexible piezoelectric device consisting of piezo-electric polymer film (PVDF), silicon and natural rubber. The flexible piezoelectric device (FPED) is a hydro-electric ocean energy converter designed to convert renewable energy harnessed from ocean energy into usable electricity. The basic concept generating electric power using FPED is to utilize fluid structure interaction, e.g. flattering, flapping and periodic bending, caused by ocean energy. The FPED deformed by kinetic energy of the ocean power stores elastic energy and also converts it to the electric energy. We carried out some experiments using wave tank and the water tunnel with a bluff body. We have confirmed the electricity generated by wave, current and vortex using the FPED. The developed FPED could be a new technology of harvesting electrical energy from the ocean power. A floating platform attached FPED could be coupled with an offshore wind turbine as a hybrid energy system in ocean space.

Volume Subject Area:
Ocean Renewable Energy
Topics:
Ocean energy, Waves, Vortices, Electric power generation, Fluid structure interaction, Kinetic energy, Natural rubber, Oceans, Offshore wind turbines, Polymer films, Renewable energy, Silicon, Tides, Water tunnels
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Copyright © 2010
 by ASME
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