*Article* **Optimization on Hydrodynamic Performance for First Level Energy-Capturing Enhancement of a Floating Wave Energy Converter System with Flapping-Panel-Slope**

**Tianyu Song <sup>1</sup> , Ze Li 2,\*, Honghao Zheng 3,\*, Chujin Liang <sup>2</sup> and Zhanhong Wan <sup>2</sup>**


**Abstract:** Based on the wave reflection principle, a floating flapping-panel wave energy converter was developed. The feasibility study and optimization study of the new WEC was carried out by laboratory research and computational fluid dynamics techniques. A numerical model was developed for an in-depth study to establish the relationship between slope tilt angle and power. The results for different wave periods show that the power take-off damping coefficient has a significant effect on the power. Meanwhile, the effects of flap length and wave height on converter resonance and power are investigated. Finally, a preliminary laboratory physical model test of the device is conducted. The flapping-panel-slope structure is very feasible and effective with good hydrodynamic performance.

**Keywords:** wave energy converter; floating flapping-panel; slope; hydrodynamic performance

**Citation:** Song, T.; Li, Z.; Zheng, H.; Liang, C.; Wan, Z. Optimization on Hydrodynamic Performance for First Level Energy-Capturing Enhancement of a Floating Wave Energy Converter System with Flapping-Panel-Slope. *J. Mar. Sci. Eng.* **2023**, *11*, 345. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/jmse11020345

Academic Editor: Unai Fernandez-Gamiz

Received: 16 November 2022 Revised: 22 December 2022 Accepted: 30 December 2022 Published: 4 February 2023

**Copyright:** © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).
