Xing Wu
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The ocean energy developer is currently manufacturing its next generation C4 WEC, with dual build operations in Sweden and Portugal.
Part of the flagship HiWave-5 project, the WEC will eventually join a four-system wave energy network, located off Aguçadoura in Portugal, forming one of the first grid-connected wave farms in the world.
After several months of process characterization on ¼ scale mock-ups, CorPower Ocean is now nearing completion of the first commercial scale hull at its Portuguese base in Viana do Castelo.
The site also showcases the company’s “mobile factory” concept, designed to enable rapid deployment of WEC hulls in port facilities near wave energy sites around the world.
A key element of the hull’s sandwich structure involves the base material which provides strength and stiffness. Produced by Swedish company Diab, the unique Divinycell H grade material offers a host of benefits including high strength, durability and impact resistance combined with lightweight and buoyant properties.
“Diab’s technology is a perfect match for our composite hull structure, meeting all requirements with the relevant certifications,” said CorPower Portugal Managing Director Miguel Silva. “The Divinycell H sandwich composite is particularly well suited for WEC devices designed specifically to withstand severe fatigue, slam and impact loads. Other important characteristics include excellent adhesion strength and chemical resistance, with low water absorption and strong thermal insulation.
Diab has supported the development of underwater applications for over 50 years, including high-demand structural and buoyancy solutions for the civil and defense sectors.
In its latest partnership with CorPower Ocean, Diab provided structural engineering assistance, including analysis of the loads and stresses exposed to the hull, to ensure the correct selection of base materials and laminates for the composite structure.
Lars-Magnus Efraimsson, Diab Segment Manager, said Divinycell H has proven itself in virtually every application area where sandwich composites are used, including marine, land transportation, wind power, engineering civil and general industrial markets.
“We are excited to expand our portfolio in the subsea sector by working with a Swedish company and one of the leading wave energy developers,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure to work with companies like CorPower Ocean who share our passion for innovation, as we continually explore new ways to improve our offering and make our customers’ products stronger, lighter and smarter.”
