This paper presents the design of an innovative wave energy converter, namely, Electrical Power Generation - WEC Device System from the Swell, abbreviated as WECFS. This WEC device has been registered for a patent in the Spanish Office of the Patents and Brands (OEPM) with the registration number of the innovative utility model-Patent Model: 202131440(5). The study reported in this paper endeavours to demonstrate the technical feasibility, functional mechanical-kinematic behaviour, and the performance of the proof-of-concept WEC device system, in order to determine their energy extraction capacities and functionalities. The overall energy extracted with eight electrical generators A/C is 0.185 MWatts calculated analytically. The levelized cost of energy is a very important metric in determining whether to move forward with the project, where the cost of energy target has been as cheap as $0.07kWh; this value of LCOE could be improved with optimisations on the practical design parameters. This preliminary study investigates the factors influencing standardized and industrialized for the new WEC device system and can be used to guide the optimization of this type of device technology.

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There are currently 365 FPSOs in service around the world. These vessels all use mooring lines to maintain position and provide stability, keeping the vessel and cargo safe. However, more than 21 failures have occurred between 2001 and 2011 and approximately 50% of the reported failures occurred in the first 3 years of 20-year design life. Each mooring line failure represents the potential for serious environmental and economic consequences. Based on industry surveys, the most common failure mode is fatigue failure. In the current offshore standards, the surface degradation due to wear and corrosion is modelled as a diameter loss at a standards rate. To assess whether the uniform reduction in chain diameter suggested in the offshore standards is able to explain the early chain failures seen in service, this paper incorporates two wear rates into a fatigue life calculation; one wear rate is taken from DNV-OS-E301 and is compared against one taken from NORSOK M-001. Three fatigue life estimation approaches: tension, nominal stress and hotspot, are used to compare the differences in fatigue method. The stress in the chain is calculated using an analytical model, which is verified against an FE model. The effect of wear degradation on the ultimate strength of the chain is calculated based on the minimum breaking load. The results show that the diameter loss rates suggested in the offshore standards are not able to explain the early mooring chain failures seen in the past and that the reduction of diameter cannot solely explain the early failures seen in service. The hotspot approach, not often used in mooring line predictions, is best able to predict these shorter lives, as it offers more accurate fatigue predictions by considering high peak stresses compared to standard methods such as tension and nominal stress approaches.

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