Ann: CETO 6 design update, page-62

While the ASX ann of 13 Nov on the new C6 update is impressive there is still a significant amount of detail missing. They really do have a solid handle on their computational numerical analysis and that is the essence of the ann.

Leading questions that remain are, just how far has the mechanical design been completed? What is the manner of wave energy conversion stage? Do we have a PTO design ready? Have decisions been made on the specific anchoring method?

Generally, if parts of the design are incomplete you wouldn’t mention it in an ann. That gives further time to cogitate and perhaps test those parts. The PTO module is critically important but was not mentioned. Are they still intending to use the pump fluid power conversion stage? This is a well understood mechanism but somewhat inefficient. A linear generator would be simpler in principle and more efficient in conversion but it is still a recent development and not yet available off the shelf. (We’ve discussed these here at various earlier times.) I cannot help but notice that in Kieran O’Brien’s presentation to the Ocean Energy Europe Conference 2017, 25 October, titled “PTOs: Have we cracked it?” (from the other thread), there is not even one mention of PTOs. It seems a glaring omission, possibly with purpose. The other seminar speakers of course do discuss PTOs but keep a handkerchief in front of their mouths.

It is difficult to deduce very much from the two artist diagrams in the ann. They are different from one another and neither shows the underside of the BA where one might expect to see either a telltale pump or linear generator sleeve. The second diagram has each of the splayed tethers entering a brassy looking tube. What might these represent? [Not gold triffid antennas to aid telepathy.]

MO maintains that shared foundations results in a significant reduction in cost. I can see that under certain construction conditions but there has been no enlightenment given in the ann. Note that using shared foundations also means that the separations between adjacent BAs are predetermined which might not always be possible on an irregular seabed.

A persistent AGM question on the physical description of the workings of the new C6 would be in order.

Will Bonus and Jadybi still be reading these posts before the meeting later today? I hope you can enjoy the meeting and won't be too disappointed if you cannot ask all your questions.

Jukes