Component test facilities for marine renewable energy converters

Abstract

This paper describes how the PRIMaRE group at University Exeter is engaging in the establishment of appropriate reliability methods suitable for application to marine renewable devices with a key area being the production of suitable failure rate data for the marine renewable energy industry. This activity seeks to mitigate uncertainties and cost implications associated with the reliability assessment of marine energy converters (MECs) due to an omnipresent lack of applicable failure rate data. The capability of two facilities, namely i) the South Western Mooring Test Facility (SWMTF) and ii) the Dynamic Marine Component Test facility (DMaC), to perform specimen and accelerated component testing is discussed. A case study, using data from wave tank tests and numerical simulations performed for the SWMTF, serves to illustrate how evidence of component reliability under operational conditions could be provided.