A bottom-hinged wave energy converter and a method for optimizing a bottom-hinged wave energy converter

Abstract

A bottom-hinged wave energy converter is provided including a foundation defining an apparent foundation weight; a power converter connected to the foundation, the power converter including a crank; a flap arm including along an arm axis a crank end connected to the crank and a flap end; a flap including a flap bottom connected to the flap end, and a flap top adapted to be at or near an ocean surface during use, the flap including a substantially circular or elliptic flap cross-section in a cross-section plane substantially perpendicular to the arm axis, which flap cross-section is constant between or increases between the flap bottom and the flap top thereby defining a flap buoyancy, wherein the apparent foundation weight being lesser or greater than the flap buoyancy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.