Wavebob

{{Short description|Wave energy converter}} {{Infobox company |name = Wavebob |logo = <gallery> File:High Res Logo.jpg| </gallery> |type = Privately Held |foundation = 1999 |location = Ireland, USA |key_people = Andrew Parish -CEO<br />Göran Dandanell -Chairman<br />William Dick -Inventor<br />Dr. Jochem Weber -Research Manager<br />Dr. Ronan Costello -Hydraulics Team Leader |industry = Wave Energy |products = [WECs] Wave Energy Conversion Buoys |homepage = }}

'''Wavebob''' was a wave energy converter which was in development between 1999 and 2013 when the company was closed owing to funding difficulties.<ref>{{cite news|last=Downing|first=Louise|title=Wavebob Shuts Down After Failing to Raise Funds, Find Partner|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-03/wavebob-shuts-down-after-failing-to-raise-funds-find-partner.html|accessdate=5 November 2013|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=4 April 2013}}</ref>

The device was an axisymetric self-reacting heaving buoy point absorber. It consisted of two oscillating structures, a floating collar or torus which followed the motion of the waves, and a central section containing the power-take-off at the top and a buoyancy-controlling tank below the water.

Wavebob Ltd. commenced the first of a number of sea trials in Galway Bay in Ireland during which it was tested as a 1/4 scale device for short periods at the SEAI 1/4 Scale Wave Power Testing facility<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sei.ie/Renewables/Ocean_Energy/Wave_Energy_Research_in_Ireland/ |title=Description of Galway Bay Wave Test Facility from SEI Website |access-date=2009-11-24 |archive-date=2016-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117212959/http://www.sei.ie/Renewables/Ocean_Energy/Wave_Energy_Research_in_Ireland |url-status=dead }}</ref> which is located in the inner bay inside the natural Aran Islands breakwater and where devices under test are exposed to around 1/3 of the expected energy of the 'Full Atlantic Ocean'.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.maps.marine.ie/wave/default.aspx |title=Ireland Wave Atlas Online GIS . SEI Quarter Scale Test Site Located At -9.269W 53.233N |access-date=2009-11-24 |archive-date=2009-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216225528/http://www.maps.marine.ie/wave/default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.maps.marine.ie/wave/default.aspx Ireland Wave Atlas Online GIS . SEI Full Scale Model Test Site To Be Constructed and Located At -9.989W 54.164N] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216225528/http://www.maps.marine.ie/wave/default.aspx |date=2009-12-16 }} Coming Onstream 2011 or 2012</ref>

==Technology== Wavebob used the lift and fall of ocean waves to drive generators <ref>{{cite web |last1=Mouwen |first1=Franc |title=Presentation to Engineers Ireland 2008 |url=https://www.engineersireland.ie/EngineersIreland/media/SiteMedia/groups/Divisions/new-energy/Wavebob-Development_of_a_Wave_Energy_Converter.pdf?ext=.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314104128/https://www.engineersireland.ie/EngineersIreland/media/SiteMedia/groups/Divisions/new-energy/Wavebob-Development_of_a_Wave_Energy_Converter.pdf?ext=.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-14 |accessdate=13 March 2016 |website=Engineers Ireland}}</ref>

The Wavebob consisted of two oscillating structures. These structures must be able to absorb in a variety of conditions and be robust to survive in the harsh marine environment. The structures are controlled by a damping system that can respond to predicted wave height, wave power and frequency. The tank structure (a semi-submerged body) uses captured sea water mass as the majority of its inertial mass. This significantly reduces the cost associated with structural materials.

The technology was developed over a decade, including tank testing at 1:100, 1:75, and 1:25 scale, benign sea conditions at 1:17 scale, and finally two sets of advanced development model (ADM) tests at 1:4 scale in Galway Bay. The first (ADM1) in 2006 produced power at sea for the first time, and the second (ADM2) in 2007 confirming the capability in a range of sea conditions.<ref>{{Cite conference |last1=Weber |first1=Jochem |last2=Mouwen |first2=Franc |last3=Parish |first3=Andrew |last4=Robertson |first4=Derek |date=2009 |title=Wavebob–research & development network and tools in the context of systems engineering |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228655511 |conference=Eighth European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, Uppsala, Sweden |via=ResearchGate}}</ref>

Wavebob developed its business through an Open Innovation Model and was partnered with leading energy companies such as Chevron and Vattenfall. It briefly established a joint venture company with Vattenfall called Tonn Energy to develop commercial wave farms off the west coast of Ireland; {{Lang|ga|tonn}} is the Irish language word for wave.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wavebob is Ready to Make Wave Energy |url=https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/wavebob-is-ready-to-make-wave-energy |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=www.greentechmedia.com}}</ref>

==Company milestones== 1999: Original patents filed

2007: CEO appointed; head office in Maynooth established

2013: Company Closed Down.

==References==

==Further reading== * Falnes, Johannes (2002). Ocean Waves and Oscillating Systems. Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-01749-1}}., 288 pp. * McCormick, Michael (2007). Ocean Wave Energy Conversion. Dover. {{ISBN|0-486-46245-5}}., 256 pp.

Category:Wave energy converters