Experimental Implementation and Validation of a Broadband LTI Energy-Maximizing Control Strategy for the Wavestar Device

This study addresses the experimental validation of a linear time-invariant (LTI) energy-maximizing control strategy for wave energy converters (WECs), applied to 1/20 scale Wavestar WEC. To fulfill this objective, system identification routines are utilized compute mathematical (parametric) model input–output dynamics device, suitable design and implementation. With parametric model, so-called LiTe-Con strategy, recently published in literature, is designed, synthesized, tested under irregular excitation basin at Aalborg University. Given that requires instantaneous knowledge effects, estimates provided by means an unknown-input Kalman filter, designed close synergy with internal principle. For assessment, both controller estimator directly implemented real-time architecture. The performance evaluated terms energy-absorption, showing consistent results respect those obtained numerical simulation, hence validating realistic scenario.