Coping with extreme weather conditions: How does the SF7 fight against danger and high wind speeds?
The dynamic effects of the wind considerably amplify the torsional moment of the tracker structure.
Photovoltaic plants are often exposed to hazards that put the installation at risk, making it an unpredictable economic investment. For this reason, the design of single-axis solar trackers must comply with a series of parameters that take into account an aeroelastic effect caused by wind. Electronic improvements are also required to cope with weather phenomena such as cyclones, high winds and thunderstorms.
Several studies have shown that certain standardised wind design codes applied to solar trackers are insufficient to design these structures reliably, as they do not take into account the second order effect produced by the wind action on the tracker. To prevent related structural instability issues, it is necessary to find new analysis methodologies that improve the design of reliable tracker structures by quantifying their response to second order wind effects. Leading wind consultant, RWDI, in collaboration with Soltec, has developed an innovative method, Dy-WIND for comprehensive dynamic analysis in tracker array design. With 15 years of experience in the industry, Soltec has incorporated this design method into its trackers.