Engineers Without Borders

Ted Brekken Speaks at General Meeting, October 10

October 10, 2007 at 7:00 pm | In Events, Meeting Minutes |

Engineers Without Borders Board Meeting

October 10th, 7:00pm

Kelley 1003

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1. Ted Brekken EECS - Wave Power

Other Faculty that work on this project Annette von Juanne, Bob Paasch, Solomon Yim and Alex Yocochi.

There are 4 main thrust areas

• Researching novel direct-drive energy generators: 5th and 6th prototypes with in ocean testing this summer and building linear test bed
• Development f wave energy demonstration site
• Working closely with ODOE
• Look at ecological environmental impacts

Energy Outlook: World energy consumption is increasing with over 433 quad BTU’s consumed in 2005. With greenhouse gases on the rise, and scientists surmising that this is due to our energy generation practices that produce a lot of CO2, renewable energy sources are coming more into fashion.

It is estimated that if 0.2% of the ocean’s untapped eergy could be harnessed, it could provide power sufficient for the whole world. Ocean energy sources could be tidal, current, temperature gradient, salinity and wave. Wave energy has advantages over other renewables due to higher availability, more predictable and forcastable, and lower viewshed impact. At present wave energy is estimated at 20-30 cents per kwh. This cost is the life-cycle costs divided over total energy produced.

Waves come from the sun heating the earths atmosphere causing wind. The wind causes a waves. Western shores of continents and towards the poles are the strongest winds. In Oregon there is much higher resource of wave power than in the summer ( in summer average wave height is around 1.5 ft and in the winter around 3.5 ft. amount of power is proportional to height of wave squared, this matches our power needs). Currently in Oregon most of our generation is in unpopulated areas, in the east. Our coastlines currently have the energy potential in the range of 13,800MW (460km at 30 kW/m) although only some percentage of this cold be harnessed without affecting the coastline. Oregon has also a goal for 25% renewables by 2025. Brekken thinks that 50% of this could be supplied by wave energy in this time frame. There is a shadowing effect from the wave buoy. At 100ft from buoy wave power is decreased around 6%.

FERC preliminary permit filings for wave projects in Oregon- Finervera, Oceanlink ltd, Douglas County, Lincoln County, and PG&E. Counties are filing aren’t wanting to leave these decisions in the hands of external companies so file for their entire coastline. Most of oregons usable wave power is around 3 miles out. Further out it gets too deep and too far away transfer energy and too close the breakers lose too much energy.

At OSU we have the WESERF (Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility) and the Hinsdale Wave research Lab. The basic wave energy extraction technologies

•  Oscillatingwater column: uses a wells turbine-generator system, Wave gen and oveanlinx have devices functioning in water.
• Wave attenuator: the Pelamis by Ocean power delivery (Scotland) Where the long segmented device bends it runs hydraulic rams to run 3/4 MW for 150M and 3.5 m wide. Three are currently off the coast of Portugal
• Over topping: Creates a narrowing basin that forces water up into a reservoir and the water comes back through generators. Larges is Danish Wave Dragon at 4MW and they are looking to increase to 20MW.
• Point absorber: what OSU is researching. Wave causes buoy with metal coils to move along magnetic shaft. Other designs utilize hydraulic rams whereas OSU’s project is direct drive.

OSU’s goals- device must be survivable, reliable and maintainable. Their approach is to make it as simple as possible which is why they are using the direct drive permanent linear generator. The power output is a pulse power around 25 watts per phase. The unit (seabeav) is 11ft tall by 4 ft wide. Its built to float in 135 ft of water. They will be testing with Finevera off the coast of Newport. The test location is about 1.5miles off of yaquina beach. Fineveras own device is nearby. Their devices is also a point absorber. Their device has a pelton generator that is hooked to s stretchy tube that elongates and pumps a fluid. The device is ballasted so that it will sit fairly far down into the wave so that it can get the resonant effect from the wave cycle.

Wave energy and local community projects. Attractive wave energy sites are about 150 to 200 dt deep which is also good for crabbing ans fishing. A wave energy park would not be fish-able/ PSu is setting aside $10k for crabbing equipment reimbursement because the crab pots will inevitable be tangled and destroyed in wave parks. Currently Oregon coast utilize $20k per square nautical mile per year. The Fishermen in Natural Energy (FINE) in newport is set up for OSU and Newport community members to collaborate on where wave parks could potentially go in. The relationship between FERC and MMS is difficult to deal with because of permitting difficulties (FERC is in charge of Coast and 3 miles into sea and MMS is in charge of the ocean).

This Friday a Linear Test Bed will be arriving and installed here at OSU to test the system better on campus. A 2000 MW grid capacity already exists, likely our system could be built into that. There is a Wave energy Demo center at Hatfield Marine Center which is where would be a good prospect for the National Wave Demo site.

THe Environmental issues are lengthy. The effects of Electromagnetic Fields are numerous ant are attractive/effect some sea life. The Effects from the construction and deployment and services of the cables would be mainly on invertebrates and sea floor structure and creation of sediment plume. The effects of physical structure of the buoy field on the migration of mammals and the antifouling agents entering the system. Also the creating of wave parks could have a positive impact.

There are a lot of projects going on off the Oregon coast. There is a DVD available - Wave power: the potential of Oregon’s Ocean Energy from the Oregon Sea Grant that could be available.

2. Membership Dues and Tshirt and Polos

Contact Evan to pay the 15$ the membership to help pay for our national membership. Also the Polos are currently available for ordering for 22$.

3. Banquet- Brad Eagleson

Still have spots to volunteer. We still need waiters, and food preparation on Friday 12-6 and 6-midnight. Then on Thursday 12-6 preparation for food.

4. Students for Sustainability- Jesse

Their group is going to build a wind turbine here on campus. This will raise awareness on campus on alternative energy. After a show of hands a majority of people
5. Habitat for Humanity - Evan Miles

Katie and Nick are our new Habitat for Humanity Coordinators. In the future we may be able to provide services on a Saturday to help out a local habitat project. After a show of hands it looks like everyone would be interested in lending a hand to habitat.

6. Project Team Meeting- Aparna and Jessica

Next Monday Stag 109 6pm. The Monday after will be the design meetings for technical design.