Dynamic simulation of an innovative wave energy converter based on gyroscopic effects

This work aims to study the dynamics of an innovative wave energy converter based on gyroscopic effects that can respond to floater motion in two directions, thus enabling the rotation of the gimbal to be utilized for electrical power generation. The device is modeled first in the Simscape Multibody environment, and then an analytical model is developed via the Lagrangian approach, which is later validated against the numerical one. Using the model, the gyroscope dynamics subjected to a harmonic floater excitation are studied under different input amplitudes and frequencies through a frequency sweep approach. Such an analysis reveals different types of complex behavior exhibited by the nonlinear system, like chaotic responses and coexisting solutions, which can affect performance. Finally, the impact of varying the damping coefficient imposed by the electric generator on different variations of the device leveraging elastic effects has been considered, and the possible mismatches between the Simscape and analytical models have been outlined. The addition of the elastic effects has been shown to improve the power absorption capabilities of the system and to allow a more convenient tuning of the system parameters to adapt to changing sea conditions.