Photovoltaic high support steel structure

How stiff is a tracking photovoltaic support system?

Because the support structure of the tracking photovoltaic support system has a long extension length and the components are D-shaped hollow steel pipes, the overall stiffness of the structure was found to be low, and the first three natural frequencies were between 2.934 and 4.921.

What are the dynamic characteristics of photovoltaic support systems?

Key findings are as follows. Dynamic characteristics of tracking photovoltaic support systems obtained through field modal testing at various inclinations, revealing three torsional modes within the 2.9–5.0 Hz frequency range, accompanied by relatively small modal damping ratios ranging from 1.07 % to 2.99 %.

How many pillars does a photovoltaic support system have?

The tracking photovoltaic support system consisted of 10 pillars (including 1 drive pillar), one axis bar, 11 shaft rods, 52 photovoltaic panels, 54 photovoltaic support purlins, driving devices and 9 sliding bearings, and also includes the connection between the frame and its axis bar. Total length was 60.49 m, as shown in Fig. 8.

Does a tracking photovoltaic support system have vibrational characteristics?

In this study, field instrumentation was used to assess the vibrational characteristics of a selected tracking photovoltaic support system. Using ANSYS software, a modal analysis and finite element model of the structure were developed and validated by comparing measured data with model predictions. Key findings are as follows.

What is the tilt angle of a photovoltaic support system?

The comparison of the mode shapes of tracking photovoltaic support system measured by the FM and simulated by the FE (tilt angle = 30°). The modal test results indicated that the natural vibration frequencies of the structure remains relatively constant as the tilt angle increases.

Why is a photovoltaic support system prone to torsional vibrations?

Due to the lower natural frequencies and torsional stiffness, the system is susceptible to significant torsional vibrations induced by wind. Currently, most existing literature on tracking photovoltaic support systems mainly focuses on wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations regarding wind pressure and pulsation characteristics.