A Novel Wave-Induced Pneumatic Turbine Generator: Design, Performance Analysis, and Experimental Validation

This study proposes a wave-induced pneumatic energy converter that transforms vertical wave motion into airflow to produce electrical power. A laboratory-scale prototype was fabricated and tested by means of a Scotch-yoke mechanism that replicates wave-induced displacement. Owing to its compact architecture and reduced component count, the device can be manufactured at relatively low cost. Under regular-wave conditions (height = 0.5 m; period = 1 s), the mean outlet air velocity reached 30.72 ms⁻¹ and the peak pneumatic power was 43.34 W. The measured energy-conversion efficiency was 25.71%, corresponding to a volumetric energy density of approximately 875 Wm⁻³. Although the experiments were restricted to laboratory scale, the results confirm proof-of-concept. The observed performance and characteristics indicate potential for deployment in near-shore and off-shore environments; nevertheless, validation for full-scale sea conditions remains outside the scope of the present work.