This project aims to develop an automated workflow between various Python packages and the WEC-Sim time-domain numerical simulation tool in MATLAB to efficiently evaluate the performance of WECs and use its time-domain outputs to inform subsequent design iterations. iProTech’s Pitching Inertial Pump (PIP) WEC is used as the test WEC and is parameterized into a series of independent variables (design variables) and dependent variables that can be used to create a mesh of the WEC, calculate its hydrodynamic coefficients, and simulated in a time-domain environment. This process is wrapped into an optimization function to automatically calculate time-domain results and use those results to inform how the optimizer should adjust design variables. Various single variable optimization studies are performed to determine the relative influence that each variable has on the power output of the device. A complete design optimization of the entire PIP WEC was not included as this involves more advanced optimization algorithms and better software organization and architecture.

This project was supported during RFTS 6.