Study on the energy harvesting and hydrodynamic stability characteristics of a novel floating bridge with wave energy conversion modules

Integrating floating bridges with wave energy converters can provide a viable option for developing economical wave energy resources, and solving problems of the high cost of wave energy devices and the unstable motion of floating bridges. This paper proposes a novel wave energy floating bridge with an integrated wave energy conversion module (WECM), and its energy capture and hydrodynamic stability problems are investigated. A nonlinear stiffness power take off (PTO) mechanism is used. A hybrid dynamics model for the system is established and the accuracy of numerical model is verified. The energy capture and motion stability of the linear PTO and nonlinear PTO wave energy floating bridge under regular and irregular wave conditions are compared. Results show that WECM can enhance the floating bridge with wave power generation capability and better motion stability in waves. The linear PTO mechanism can reduce the motion response of the floating bridge by choosing the appropriate PTO damping value under regular waves. The nonlinear PTO mechanism increases the double-peak width to broaden the energy capture frequency band. The nonlinear PTO is more suitable for low-frequency wave sea conditions, while the linear PTO is more suitable for high-frequency wave sea conditions. This article can provide favorable reference data for floating bridge design and practical application in the future.