MAPUA University Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering graduate Niño Jhim Andrew B. de la Luna, 23, had a constant view of the sea from his hometown in Lemery, Batangas. He watched the movement of the water and how the tide came in and out, everything denoting grace, power and regularity. This is part of what inspired his master’s thesis on tidal energy, which won first prize for the Poster Award in the International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE) this year in Normandy, France.
De la Luna’s thesis was selected among 68 other studies on ocean energy presented for the Poster Awards. The prize included a €1,500 cash prize, sponsored by Ocean Energy Systems (OES), a collaborative intergovernmental program based in France. He attended the OES conference from June 12 to 14.
Ocean energy is a branch of renewable energy that relies on harnessing the natural power of the ocean through waves, tides, thermal energy, and the like. The International Conference on Ocean Energy is held every two years and is attended by the leading minds in the field, as well as researchers and members of the burgeoning industry.
De la Luna’s thesis, entitled “Tidal Resource Assessment and Hydrodynamic Simulation of a SeaGen-Type Horizontal Axis Tidal Turbine in Verde Island Passage Philippines,” presented a theoretical application of a tidal turbine in the Verde Island passage, based on numerical modeling of tidal currents in the passage and a simulation of the tidal turbine representation during the peak month for tidal energy harvesting.
It occurred to de la Luna to submit his thesis for the ICOE after finding references for his thesis, seeing that a paper he cited was presented at the conference.
“I finished my thesis just in time for the submission,” de la Luna recalled. “I didn’t even know that it was a competition. I was just proud to share my study at such a prestigious conference.” He added his thesis went up against studies that were adapted from his peers’ dissertations, which made his win even more unexpected.
De la Luna credited his years in Mapua University for setting him on the path to developing his thesis. He briefly encountered renewable energy in his undergraduate studies, leading to his interest in ocean-energy technology.
Mapua’s faculty also played a major part in the creation of his winning thesis. “My thesis adviser Dr. Mark Christian Manuel helped me ground my research to make it more feasible,” de la Luna said. “He, along with my thesis panel members, also provided valuable inputs which helped improve my study.”