• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise

Power Electronic Tips

Power Electronic News, Editorial, Video and Resources

  • Products
    • Power Supplies
    • AC-DC
    • DC-DC
    • Battery Management
    • Capacitors
    • Magnetics
    • MOSFETS
    • Power Management
    • RF Power
    • Resistors
    • Transformers
    • Transistors
  • Applications
    • 5G
    • AI
    • Automotive
    • EV Engineering
    • LED Lighting
    • Industrial
    • IoT
    • Wireless
  • Learn
    • eBooks / Tech Tips
    • EE Training Days
    • FAQ
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars & Digital Events
  • Resources
    • Design Guide Library
    • Digital Issues
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • LEAP Awards
    • Podcasts
    • White Papers
    • Design Fast
  • Video
    • EE Videos & Interviews
    • Teardown Videos
  • EE Forums
    • EDABoard.com
    • Electro-Tech-Online.com
  • Engineeering Training Days
  • Newsetter Subscription

Harvesting energy from ocean waves

October 12, 2021 By Lee Teschler

Efficient power conversion technology now makes buoy systems practical for powering real-world devices.

Autonomous offshore power systems (AOPS) now capture mechanical wave energy and convert it into usable power for a wide range of oceanic applications such as offshore oil and gas exploration and production, offshore carbon sequestration, oceanographic research, aquaculture and homeland defense.

The C-Power SeaRAY.
The C-Power SeaRAY.

An example comes from Columbia Power Technologies, Inc. (C-Power) in Corvallis, Ore. Its systems provide kilowatt-scale power for offshore data communications networks and were initially devised through a Darpa project called Wave Energy Buoy Systems (WEBS).

C-Power’s latest AOPS device is called the SeaRAY. SeaRAY replaces electric tethers fed from a ship or diesel generator that have historically powered underwater vehicles, subsea operating equipment and open-ocean sensors. Now, the SeaRAY device generates power from waves by acting like a large buoy with arms. Waves move the arms up and down creating relative motion between the float and body of the buoy. The bigger the wave, the higher the power pulse. The arms are mechanically coupled to an electric generator.

SeaRAY design
The SeaRAY design makes remote, autonomous data communications possible by sending information from the ocean to the cloud.

At the top and bottom of the wave motion, the generator is not moving. The velocity of the arms increases from zero to some peak (based on wave size). This motion causes the generator to turn, accelerating rotationally to some max RPM. Then it decelerates, stops, and repeats for each wave. This process is cyclical with the stochastic waves.

The resultant voltage coming out of the generator has a continuously varying amplitude at a continuously varying frequency. The bigger the wave, the larger the amplitude of the voltage envelope and the larger swing in frequency. The electrical power, voltage and current, is converted to usable energy via power electronics and energy storage.

The key power design challenge for C-Power was to reconcile complex ocean wave energy properties with the demanding power conversion requirements of the SeaRAY.

Vicor BCM fixed-ratio bus converter and PRM regulator modules
SeaRAY uses the Vicor BCM fixed-ratio bus converter and PRM regulator modules with complex multistage discrete converters to efficiently convert wave energy and provide controlled power. Using power modules Vicor developed a power delivery network that improved the SeaRAY conversion efficiency from 50% to over 90%.

This included an ultra-wide 30:1 input range, which reflects the unpredictable nature of ocean waves. The SeaRAY power conversion technology is from Vicor Corp. The power supply converts the energy from the generator and feeds a continuously varying current into a large bank of super capacitors. The energy from the capacitors is used to maintain a charge on the batteries and power auxiliary buoy systems. The power from the buoy can be used for any application. This process allows for high peak power conversion to supply energy to loads, including a small amount of power for the AOPS wave energy converter (WEC) supervisory control and data acquisition system. The batteries are there to supply power to the onboard equipment in case of calm water and no waves.

The scalable power design of the SeaRAY uses Vicor BCM fixed-ratio bus converters and PRM regulator modules with complex multistage discrete converters to efficiently convert turbulent, unpredictable wave energy and provide controlled power. This enabled C-Power to increase the SeaRAY design’s conversion efficiency from about 50% to a range of 85 to 94%.

The Vicor Power Systems design team delivered a unit capable of accepting external control signals from the C-Power system to match precise power conversion needs in real time. In addition, the power conversion topologies used in Vicor modules help to minimize electromagnetic interference and noise onboard the SeaRAY that could otherwise compromise sensor measurement accuracy.

“We really needed wide-range DC-DC, something that we could control and regulate as we’re converting pulsed ocean wave power into a semi-stable DC bus,” said Joe Prudell, a C-Power senior R&D electrical engineer. “This is extremely challenging. Being able to do that at various power levels using Vicor’s power modules really is an advantage.”

The SeaRAY design also makes autonomous, remote data communications possible by transmitting what happens in the ocean to the cloud in real time. Previously, marine data-gathering systems have been limited in the breadth and frequency of data collection. Using cellular networks and satellite communications to pass data in real-time between the cloud and the SeaRAY allows collection of more and richer data that can be delivered more often.

“There are plenty of companies trying to capture and convert wave energy, but it’s another thing to do something in a small, compact form factor and still satisfy what customers need from an operational and logistics perspective,” C-Power CEO Reenst Lesemann said. “That’s where we, with Vicor’s assistance, have been able to stick our chins out so much further than everyone else.”

You may also like:

  • talk of battery fires still smolders
    Talk of EV fires still smolders
  • charging
    Say goodbye to cross-country road trips
  • battery breakthrough fatigue
    Battery breakthrough fatigue
  • electrolytic caps
    Why electrolytic capacitors blow up
  • safety first
    How to electrocute yourself in a few easy steps

Filed Under: DC-DC, Featured, Power Components, Power Management, power modules Tagged With: vicorpowersystems

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. zidane says

    July 18, 2023 at 8:41 am

    thank you for the article

Primary Sidebar

Featured Contributions

Robust design for Variable Frequency Drives and starters

Meeting demand for hidden wearables via Schottky rectifiers

The case for vehicle 48 V power systems

GaN reliability milestones break through the silicon ceiling

Developing power architecture to support autonomous transportation

More Featured Contributions

EE LEARNING CENTER

EE Learning Center

EE TECH TOOLBOX

“ee
Tech Toolbox: 5G Technology
This Tech Toolbox covers the basics of 5G technology plus a story about how engineers designed and built a prototype DSL router mostly from old cellphone parts. Download this first 5G/wired/wireless communications Tech Toolbox to learn more!

EE ENGINEERING TRAINING DAYS

engineering
“power
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for EE professionals.
“bills

RSS Current EDABoard.com discussions

  • Industrial Relay Board Design for Motorcycle Use
  • buffer conf
  • Voice extraction from a song
  • Step Up Push Pull Transformer design / construction
  • Is Silent Sound Spread Spectrum real?

RSS Current Electro-Tech-Online.com Discussions

  • UART Basic Before Writing Code
  • The Analog Gods Hate Me
  • Impact of Tariffs on PCB Fab
  • Earbud wiring w/ mic
  • Simple LED Analog Clock Idea

DesignFast

Component Selection Made Simple.

Try it Today
design fast globle

Footer

EE World Online Network

  • 5G Technology World
  • EE World Online
  • Engineers Garage
  • Analog IC Tips
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Connector Tips
  • DesignFast
  • EDA Board Forums
  • Electro Tech Online Forums
  • EV Engineering
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Sensor Tips
  • Test and Measurement Tips

Power Electronic Tips

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • About us

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy