The wave energy device is installed in Pecém wave power plant that was financed by the Tractebel Energia SA and supported by the government of Ceará, Brazil.
The energy generated has the potential to produce 87 GW of electricity.
The prototype was designed by Coppe Subsea Technology, and its capacity amounts to 50 kW.
According to Professor Estefen Segen, from the Subsea Technology Laboratory of Coppe this Brazilian technology uses a high pressure system to rotate the turbine and generator. A float connected to the end of a mechanical arm is set in motion by the waves.
This up and down motion activates a pump that pressurizes fresh water stored in an accumulator connected to a hyperbaric chamber, where the pressure is equivalent to a 200 to 400 meter water column, similar to a hydroelectric plant. The pressurized water in the form of a jet drives the turbine, which in turn rotates the generator which produces electricity.
Take a look at the video showcasing Coppe Subsea’s wave energy device.
Source/Image: Tractebel Energia