Sal joined the Waterpower R&D Department in 2021. He works on numerical modelling of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) devices. He has been part of the WEC-Sim development team and works adding new features to the code and optimize the general workflow. He likes to develop analytical multibody dynamics for different WEC designs and configurations as single devices and as WEC arrays.

Sal finished his M.Sc. in advanced mechanical engineering at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. His M.Sc. thesis developed numerical multibody dynamics models for vehicle dynamics applications. Sal finished his Ph.D. at Michigan Technological University with a focus in marine engineering and dynamics and control engineering. He did his doctoral research on time-domain modelling and real-time control of WEC arrays, or wave farms.

He has worked on developing stable time domain models that accurately capture, interdevice interactions, and hydrodynamics in wave farms. He also worked on hardware-in-loop microcontrollers, motion-sensing and general instrumentation for wave tanks and assisted in prototype testing of 3D-printed WECs developed at Michigan Technological University.

Research Interests

Numerical modelling of multibody dynamics of WECs and WEC arrays

Model-based controls of WECs and WEC arrays

Numerical optimization of multibody dynamics systems

Education

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University, Michigan, USA

M.Sc. (with Distinction), Advanced Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK

Graduate Certificate in Dynamic Systems, Michigan Technological University, Michigan, USA