A Fast Model Predictive Control Framework for Multi-Float and Multi-Mode-Motion Wave Energy Converters

Recently, multi-float and multi-mode-motion wave energy converters (M-WECs) have been developed to improve energy conversion capability. Although model predictive control (MPC) can be very effective to solve the constrained energy maximization control problem of point absorber WECs, the increased complexity of the M-WEC hydrodynamics can bring significant challenges due to computational demand. This brief proposes a novel computational-efficient fast MPC (FMPC) design method for the M-WECs requiring complex linear hydrodynamic models. The controller design objective is to maximize the energy conversion with some available wave forecasting information and to satisfy state and control input constraints to ensure safe operation. The main advantage of the proposed FMPC is the reduced computational burden with a negligible impact on performance. A demonstrative numerical simulation based on a 1:50 laboratory-scale M-WEC design, M4, for which linear hydrodynamics has been verified experimentally, is presented to verify the efficacy of the proposed control method in terms of both computational load and energy output.