Novel computational fluid dynamics-finite element analysis solution for the study of flexible material wave energy converters

The use of flexible materials for primary mover and power takeoff wave energy converters (WECs) has attracted considerable attention in recent years, owing to their potential enhance the reliability, survivability, conversion efficiency. Although some reduced order models have been used study fluid–structure interaction (FSI) responses (fWECs), they are somehow inappropriate due limited accuracy applicability span. To gain a deeper understanding physical mechanisms fWECs, high-fidelity approach is required. In this work, we build up analysis framework based on computational fluid dynamics finite element method. incompressible viscous flow resolved by solving three-dimensional unsteady Navier–Stokes equations with volume approach. structure solved method, taking nonlinear behavior material into consideration. A strong coupling strategy utilized numerical stability convergence iterative process. We demonstrate present FSI tool able provide rich field information structural response details, such as velocity, pressure, stress distribution. This illustrated through several case studies, including two types fWECs. wave–structure-interaction associated phenomena also accurately captured tool.