Page 42: of Marine Technology Magazine (April 2016)

Offshore: Wave Energy Prize

M3 Wave (Salem, Ore.)

M3 Wave’s entry into the Wave

Energy Prize competition is

NEXUS, a mid-column variant of its venerable DMP/APEX sub- merged pressure differential tech- nology. The system harnesses the pressure wave under ocean swell while stationed above the ocean ? oor but still safely under the surface, protected from surface hazards. All power, electrical, and mechanical systems are inside protected dry chambers – there are no exposed mechanical joints or sliding seals.

NEXUS turns the pressure ? uc- tuations under ocean waves into alternating expansion and com- pression cycles of air inside an enclosed pipe. Power is harnessed with a bi-directional air turbine.

M3 Wave proved the viability of the underlying conversion technology during pilot testing of their APEX variant in 2014 off the coast of Oregon. NEXUS is positioned higher up the water column, dramatically increas- ing device power output while preserving the robustness and deployability aspects of APEX.

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