Lectures

Nonlinear Dynamics of a Parametric Pendulum for Energy Extraction

The talk is concerned with a new concept for the extraction of energy from sea waves for the purpose of generating electrical power. The concept is based on the conversion of vertical motion into rotational motion by means of a parametric pendulum operating in full rotational mode. The idea is to mount the pendulum's pivot above a floating structure which will oscillate in the vertical plane in response to sea waves excitation. The vertical oscillations of the structure will generate the pendulum's rotational motion providing the driving torque for an electrical generator. As a first approximation of such a system we consider a parametric pendulum driven by an electro-dynamic shaker.