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Harnessing wave energy offers a promising avenue for diversifying the energy matrix and mitigating climate change, given its high global power density. However, the commercial viability of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) remains limited by low conversion efficiency, primarily due to challenges in maintaining resonance across variable ocean wave spectra. This study presents the experimental evaluation of a floating column point absorber WEC incorporating a bio-inspired Negative Stiffness Mechanism (NSM), designed to tune the natural frequency to incident wave frequencies by counteracting hydrostatic stiffness. The NSM employs pre-compressed springs in a geometric linkage, with spring positions (1 to 5, from mechanism centre outwards) varying the moment arm and pre-compression to achieve tunable negative stiffness, modelled via linearised Lagrange equations and the Principle of Virtual Work. Wave tank tests (0.7–1.6 Hz) revealed that the optimal Position 3 configuration doubled heave oscillation amplitude to 5.14 mm at 0.87 Hz, versus 2.46 mm without springs, broadening the resonant bandwidth and enhancing power take-off potential.

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Experimental Test of a Wave Energy Converter with a Bioinspired Negative Stiffness Mechanism

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Camila Alarcón-Gómez,
  • Claudio Villegas-Ulloa,
  • Fabian Pierart-Vásquez,
  • Diego Carrasco-Valenzuela,
  • Roberto Delgado-Orias

摘要

Harnessing wave energy offers a promising avenue for diversifying the energy matrix and mitigating climate change, given its high global power density. However, the commercial viability of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) remains limited by low conversion efficiency, primarily due to challenges in maintaining resonance across variable ocean wave spectra. This study presents the experimental evaluation of a floating column point absorber WEC incorporating a bio-inspired Negative Stiffness Mechanism (NSM), designed to tune the natural frequency to incident wave frequencies by counteracting hydrostatic stiffness. The NSM employs pre-compressed springs in a geometric linkage, with spring positions (1 to 5, from mechanism centre outwards) varying the moment arm and pre-compression to achieve tunable negative stiffness, modelled via linearised Lagrange equations and the Principle of Virtual Work. Wave tank tests (0.7–1.6 Hz) revealed that the optimal Position 3 configuration doubled heave oscillation amplitude to 5.14 mm at 0.87 Hz, versus 2.46 mm without springs, broadening the resonant bandwidth and enhancing power take-off potential.