Bodycote, a provider of heat treatments and thermal processing services, says it is targeting the marine renewables sector after securing work with wave energy company CorPower Ocean.
The UK-headquartered firm — which works in automotive, aerospace, energy and broader industrial sectors — is moving into ocean energy after helping Swedish developer CorPower optimize key components in its wave energy converters (WECs).
CorPower’s WECs, inspired by the pumping principles of the human heart, offer five times more energy per ton of device compared to previously known technologies, according to a press release. Incorporating unique features to boost storm survivability and power capture, the WECs also benefit from thermochemical treatment to protect against the harshest marine conditions.
“We have now worked with Bodycote at a number of plant locations across Sweden to develop mechanical components for our WECs using Corr-I-Dur®. This thermochemical treatment simultaneously improves corrosion resistance and wear properties by generating an iron nitride-oxide compound layer,” said CorPower Ocean Senior Procurement and Quality Engineer Thomas Lindahl. “Durability and robustness are of paramount importance in the wave energy sector, and effective protection of devices in the hostile ocean environment has always presented a major challenge to our industry. Corr-I-Dur® has proved a particularly favorable solution, being specifically designed for components subjected to a corrosive environment in combination with wear. From a commercial perspective, solid proof of the long-term resilience of our WECs makes them infinitely more valuable. We believe this collaboration will play a crucial role protecting our WECs during our next phase of testing in the Atlantic Ocean, and for the years to come.”
Bodycote said CorPower was able to use its product to design mechanical components such as pistons, guides and linkages that are suitable for the world’s harshest environments for metal.
CorPower Ocean is ramping up operations for its flagship HiWave-5 demonstration project in northern Portugal to propel its wave technology to a bankable product offering by 2024. The €16 million project includes investment to build a wave energy hub in the Port of Viana do Castelo, involving R&D, manufacturing and servicing facilities for the long-term development of supply and service capacity for commercial wave energy farms.
