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University of California, San Diego
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
MAE 156B: Senior Design Project - Spring 2025
Project Overview
Background: The UCSD Environmental Fluid Dynamics Lab is working to develop technology that uses a heave-plate, actuator system to act as a pump, storing power generated by the waves above. However, capturing this energy comes with its own set of challenges. Being deployed in the unpredictable conditions of the ocean, these systems must be watertight and have enough buoyancy to withstand the forces created by the energy generator and by the ocean itself. Additionally, in order to locate the buoy geographically and its position relative to the heave plate, it must be equipped with sufficient surface tracking technology.
Objective: This project aims to tackle many of the logistical issues with this system. The objective, thus, is to research, fabricate, test, and analyze a buoy-heave-plate system to be used in tandem with the lab's existing actuator. This buoy will primarily track position and pressure but will be equipped with additional features such as gps and simple user interface for ease of use. This buoy should be lightweight as to not dampen the wave motion and be small enough to be deployed by a single person. The heave-plate should move isolated from this buoy and be able to decend through the ocean quickly while remaining stationary at the desired depth. This asymetrical drag will be achieved through the geometry of the heave plate, where the projected area upon decent is smaller than that at a 4m depth.
System Model
Key Components
Heave Plate
Heave Plate
Buoy
Buoy
Electronics
Electronics
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