A Novel Segmented Structure and Control Method for a Permanent-Magnet Linear Generator to Broaden the Range of Efficient Energy Capture

Wave energy, a high-quality renewable energy, is abundant in reserves and relatively stable. However, the wave energy power of the same sea area varies greatly in different seasons. The traditional linear generator cannot work efficiently in such a wide power range. This paper presents a segmented permanent-magnet linear generator structure, which is especially designed for the wave energy converter. This type of linear generator can match the wave energy power by increasing or decreasing the specific primary unit, making the generator more efficient over a wider range of wave power than the traditional type. This paper verifies the correctness by finite element analysis.