Application of a coupled linear-bistable system in point absorber wave energy converter

With the increasing global energy demand and growing concerns about the environmental impact of fossil fuels, Wave Energy Converters (WECs) have emerged as a sustainable solution. Among the various types of WECs, point absorber WECs have gained attention for their efficient wave energy harnessing capabilities. This research aims to further enhance the energy capture efficiency of point absorber WECs by introducing a coupled linear-bistable mechanism. Using numerical methods, a comprehensive analysis is conducted to evaluate the wave energy capture performance and dynamic responses of the coupled linear-bistable WEC. The study also considers 1DoF linear and 1DoF bistable WECs for comparison. The impact of key parameters such as floater geometry, mass ratio, stiffness ratio, Power Take-Off (PTO) damping, and nonlinear parameters on the performance of the coupled linear-bistable system is investigated. The results demonstrate that the coupled linear-bistable WEC outperforms its counterparts, particularly in the low-frequency and high-frequency domains. This indicates that the coupled mechanism has the potential to significantly enhance wave energy capture. These findings provide valuable insights for the future design and advancement of WECs.