RTI completes shakedown testing and is ready for Carderock

June was the first month in the water for our RTI F2 QD. Our “first splash” and “first waves” were in the UNH Chase Labs deep tank and wave tank, respectively (RTI Teammates Toby Dewhurst and Sean Lewis in lower left, setting up for “first waves”). All key components arrived in time for a final assembly by mid-June. A special thanks to team sponsors Sensata-BEI (providing marine grade high resolution encoders), Interface (submersible Load Cells) and UNH Chase Labs (wave tank access).

A successful series of shakedown and preliminary performance tests were conducted in late June at the U. of Maine, Alfond W2 Wind-Wave Facility in Orono Maine (photo lower right). This new world class wave tank facility with its 5 meter depth and Edinburgh Engineering wave makers allowed us to more closely simulate the ONR Carderock Mask basin Wave Energy Prize test conditions. Apparently many of the 9 Finalists also discovered this facility with others testing before and after us. This was the first time our electrical and control system (developed by our Marquette U. E&C group of Drew Maatman and Ramin Katebi under Dr. Nathan Weise plus Diane Liskey) was merged with our RTI F2 QD hydrodynamic and mechanical hardware numerically modeled, designed and fabricated by our Maine/New Hampshire group of Sean Lewis, Toby Dewhurst, Dick Akers, Mike Macnicoll and yours truly, John Rohrer).

Convergence on the most cost effective ocean survivable Wave Energy Converter (WEC) configuration (a major objective of the Wave Energy Prize) is essential before the nascent WEC industry can effectively tap the huge global wave energy resource which has several times more energy density than the solar and wind energy which produces ocean waves. We continue to believe this WEC convergence is pointing towards surface deployed elongated wave terminator type WECs intercepting maximum wave front using minimum vessel volume (and cost). The patented RTI F2 QD is the only such WEC which floods and totally submerges its elongated surface float safely below the troughs of even 15 meter high waves for secure survival in seas which would destroy other surface WECs.