Development of a novel model testing methodology for integrated performance evaluation of a wave energy converters of floating type

In this study, a new model-testing methodology, termed the Real-Time Hybrid Model Test, was developed to evaluate the integrated performance of floating-type wave energy converters (FWECs) in a wave basin. The proposed technique incorporates a full-scale hydraulic power take-off (PTO) system, generator, and power conversion system (PCS), as well as a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control algorithm to maximize electrical power extraction. In the Real-Time Hybrid Model Test, the measured motion of the FWEC model at each sampling interval is converted to full scale and supplied as input to a real-time full-scale simulation. Based on this input, the full-scale hydraulic PTO, generator, and PCS responses—including the MPPT control actions—are numerically computed. The resulting full-scale PTO load is then dynamically scaled down and applied to the physical model using a linear-motor actuator, thereby establishing a closed-loop interaction between the physical model and the numerical PTO system. The motion Response Amplitude Operators (RAOs) and the optimal hydraulic PTO force were evaluated in regular waves, and the performance of the proposed technique was further assessed in white-noise waves by comparing the results with those obtained from a conventional model test. The experimental results demonstrate that the Real-Time Hybrid Model Test provides a reliable and effective framework for evaluating FWECs, offering significant advantages in reproducing realistic PTO dynamics during physical model experiments.