Maximum Power Control Algorithm for Power Take-Off System Based on Hydraulic System for Floating Wave Energy Converters

In this study, a hydraulic system generator power converter was modeled to verify the performance of a hydraulic-based power take-off (PTO) system. Moreover, the characteristics and output performance of the PTO system were analyzed with various load control algorithms applied for maximum power control. The simulation performance was verified through a comparison with actual sea test results. Unlike previous studies on hydraulic-based PTO system control for input power performance, the performance of a hydraulic-based PTO system was analyzed through electrical load control in this study. The electrical load control was analyzed by applying a speed control algorithm based on the perturb and observe algorithm and an optimal torque control algorithm. A load control algorithm suitable for maximum power control of the PTO system was proposed by analyzing the characteristics and power generation performance of the system according to the control variables of each algorithm. The proposed optimal torque control algorithm proved to be suitable for maximum power control of the considered PTO system.