New-Tech Europe Magazine | Q3 2021 | Digital Edition

systems that generate 10W to 1MW from ocean waves. To achieve its goals at the lower end of the power spectrum, C-Power created a SeaRAY AOPS design with a high power-to-weight ratio using power conversion technology from Vicor Corporation. The small design footprint enhances mobility and commercial viability, making SeaRAY easier to deliver and set up, saving tens of thousands of dollars in daily operating costs. “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 more and richer data to be collected and delivered more often (Figure 2). Harvesting energy from a constantly shifting power source 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. This included an ultra-wide 30:1 input range, which reflects the unpredictable nature of ocean

Figure 1: While much attention has been paid to advancements in solar and wind power technology, C-Power is a pioneer in efficiently harnessing ocean wave energy to enable new forms of offshore applications including oil and gas exploration and production, offshore carbon sequestration, oceanographic research, aquaculture and homeland defence.

storage devices. The unit is also capable of accepting external control signals from the C-Power system to match precise power

waves. The Vicor Power Systems design team delivered a system capable of converting power with high efficiency and charging energy

Figure 2: The SeaRAY design makes remote, autonomous data communications possible by sending information from the ocean to the cloud. Using cellular networks and satellite communications to pass data in real-time between the cloud and the SeaRAY AOPS allows more and richer data to be collected and delivered more often.

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