Design of main structure for wave energy converter

  • Client Bombora Wave Power
  • Year 2019
  • Business unit Renewables

Apollo’s growing reputation supporting the energy transition, led us to supporting Bombora with harnessing wave energy.

Apollo was tasked with designing the main structure of Bombora’s full-scale, 1.5MW mWave Pembrokshire Demonstration Project, wave energy converter device.

mWave sits below the ocean surface like a fully submerged reef making it invisible while extracting maximum energy. The mWave is non-disruptive to ocean users and marine life and can survive stormy conditions. After an initial foundation study, our expert structural designers and engineers developed the concept design for mWave’s main structure. This led into detailed design, where Apollo delivered a full suite of drawings, calculations, assembly and commissioning instructions and an operations and maintenance manual.

This unique design challenge enabled Apollo to demonstrate a cost-effective and quality service where complex interfaces with other mechanical parts such as the cell modules and power take-off device challenged and excited the team.

As a dynamic consultancy, we are able to add additional resources quickly, such as additional engineers and designers to ensure it met the revised deadline and scope.

If you have a pressing issue and need engineering support, let us know on sustainable_energy@apollo-oe.com

Client problem:

  • Bombora required the design of the main structure of their prototype wave energy converter, known as mWave
  • A steel structure forms the backbone of the mWave device and primarily supports the Cell modules, PTO Module and accommodates the Main ducting
  • The structure is 75 m long (including a 15 m PTO module), 15 m wide and comprises the base structure and foundation structure

What we did:

  • Structural engineering and detailed design of the mWave main structure
  • Provided calculation and drawing package
  • Assembly and commissioning instructions, and operation and maintenance manual
  • Quality Control plan, and inspection and test plan
  • HIRA to qualitatively assess the risks of failure (defined by FMEA) associated with the design through life

Value / Benefits:

  • Apollo provided teams of engineers with extensive experience in structural, mechanical and marine engineering that have undertaken numerous offshore structural design and fabrication projects and who understand the challenges associated
  • Adopted design made suitable for modularisation and road transportation
  • Fast track delivery of drawings to meet a revised schedule
  • Cost effective method of engineering design, fabrication and procurement