An electric power information acquisition unit is provided for acquiring power supply-and-demand information including electric power acceptable to an electric power system or information correlated with the electric power. A fluid information acquisition unit is provided for acquiring fluid information including information correlated with a physical quantity of a fluid flowing out of a channel. A controller is provided for controlling at least one of the physical quantity, the channel or electric power generated or electric power to be generated by a generator by using the fluid information so that the physical quantity becomes equal to a desired value, while controlling electric power to be supplied to the electric power system to the electric power acceptable to the electric power system or less, by using the power supply-and-demand information.

An electric power information acquisition unit is provided for acquiring power supply-and-demand information including electric power acceptable to an electric power system or information correlated with the electric power. A fluid information acquisition unit is provided for acquiring fluid information including information correlated with a physical quantity of a fluid flowing out of a channel. A controller is provided for controlling at least one of the physical quantity, the channel or electric power generated or electric power to be generated by a generator by using the fluid information so that the physical quantity becomes equal to a desired value, while controlling electric power to be supplied to the electric power system to the electric power acceptable to the electric power system or less, by using the power supply-and-demand information.

The present invention is directed to a nonlinear controller for nonlinear wave energy converters (WECs). As an example of the invention, a nonlinear dynamic model is developed for a geometrically right-circular cylinder WEC design for the heave-only motion, or a single degree-of-freedom (DOF). The linear stiffness term is replaced by a nonlinear cubic hardening spring term to demonstrate the performance of a nonlinear WEC as compared to an optimized linear WEC. By exploiting the nonlinear physics in the nonlinear controller, equivalent power and energy capture, as well as simplified operational performance is observed for the nonlinear cubic hardening spring controller when compared to an optimized linear controller.

A water current power generating system includes a support structure located on a bed of a body of water. A power generating apparatus, such as a water current turbine device, is mounted on the support structure, by way of a mounting portion. The system also includes a measurement unit operable to determine operating information relating to operation of the system, and a controller operable to determine loading on the system from such operating information, and to adjust a controlled parameter of the system such that loading on the system falls below a predetermined threshold value.

A water current power generating system includes a support structure located on a bed of a body of water. A power generating apparatus, such as a water current turbine device, is mounted on the support structure, by way of a mounting portion. The system also includes a measurement unit operable to determine operating information relating to operation of the system, and a controller operable to determine loading on the system from such operating information, and to adjust a controlled parameter of the system such that loading on the system falls below a predetermined threshold value.

A floating electrical power generator having a three-dimensional (3D) flow passageway configured for increasing the water flow on the paddle wheel to increase the power output.

A floating electrical power generator having a three-dimensional (3D) flow passageway configured for increasing the water flow on the paddle wheel to increase the power output.

A hydroelectric power generation apparatus includes a braking force generation unit configured to apply a braking force to rotation of a hydraulic turbine, and a controller configured to control the braking force generation unit to repeat increasing and decreasing the braking force to vary a rotational speed of the hydraulic turbine. Varying the rotational speed of the hydraulic turbine helps to flow away debris and the like adhering to hydraulic turbine blades. Preferably, the braking force generation unit includes an electrical, mechanical or fluid type braking device configured to apply a braking force to a rotary shaft of the hydraulic turbine. Preferably, the braking force generation unit includes a power generator configured to generate power through rotation of the hydraulic turbine, and the controller increases/decreases the braking force by varying power extracted from the power generator.

A hydroelectric power generation apparatus includes a braking force generation unit configured to apply a braking force to rotation of a hydraulic turbine, and a controller configured to control the braking force generation unit to repeat increasing and decreasing the braking force to vary a rotational speed of the hydraulic turbine. Varying the rotational speed of the hydraulic turbine helps to flow away debris and the like adhering to hydraulic turbine blades. Preferably, the braking force generation unit includes an electrical, mechanical or fluid type braking device configured to apply a braking force to a rotary shaft of the hydraulic turbine. Preferably, the braking force generation unit includes a power generator configured to generate power through rotation of the hydraulic turbine, and the controller increases/decreases the braking force by varying power extracted from the power generator.

A floating electrical power generator having a three-dimensional (3D) flow passageway configured for increasing the water flow on the paddle wheel to increase the power output.