M3 Wave, an Oregon-based wave energy company, has developed a submerged pressure differential wave energy device that harvests the energy of the waves sitting at the bottom of the ocean.
Delos-Reyes Morrow Pressure Device (DMP) wave energy device is a steel structure that turns the pressure waves under ocean waves into alternating expansion and contraction cycles of an air-filled system which, in turn, drives an air turbine connected to an electrical generator.
As wave passes over one chamber of the device, the pressure increases, forcing the air to move through the air turbine and into the second chamber.
The moving air forces cause the turbine to spin, driving the electrical generator to produce electricity.
Then, the pressure increases in the second chamber, forcing the air back through the bidirectional turbine.
The system has no exposed mechanical components and essentially only one moving part: the turbine/generator.
The full scale DMP device is expected to have a rated capacity of around 100-150 kW.
In September 2014, M3 Wave deployed a scaled DMP device called APEX off Oregon.
APEX device represents 1:5 scale of the full model. It is approximately 9 m long, and 2.5 m wide (30 ft long, 8 ft wide).
The device was deployed at the water depth of approximately 15 m, 1.6 km off the coast of Camp Rilea near Astoria.
The goal of APEX was to validate technology that will be used in larger scale power systems.
Take a look at the video of APEX device deployment.