Literature studies and patent searches indicate that the extreme vast majority of the systems that have been considered to date operate through exploitation of either the buoyancy or diffraction force regimes, interacting with either the displacement or acceleration of fluid particle motions respectively. By comparison, very little work has focused on the development of systems which might operate through interaction with the fluid particle velocities in order to generate a lift-based driving force.  However, using hydrodynamic lift in a WEC has a number of significant advantages which directly address many of the issues which frustrated the commercial viability of more traditional device types.

Consequently, the LiftWEC project aims to develop a novel type of WEC whose primary coupling with the waves is through the generation of hydrodynamic lift on a series of rotating hydrofoil. That is, the system consists of one or more hydrofoils that is driven by the waves to rotate around an axis orthogonal to the direction of wave propagation. It is intended that the project will develop a technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1 to TRL 3. This will be achieved by a combination of numerical/physical modelling and desk-based studies of the structural design, operational & maintenance and the environmental/social impacts of the technology.

Queen's University Belfast personnel involved:

Grant secured by Professor Trevor Whittaker (retired).

Current Principle Investigator – Dr Carwyn Frost.

Co-Investigator – Dr Wesley Flannery.

Project Manager – Dr Matt Folley.

Research Fellow – Dr Paul Lamont-Kane.