Aerolastic effects on PV plants

AgustinRomeral

Gents

In CADE we keep receiving challenges from clients suffering from aerolastic effects on their PV plants. Our solution involves CFD analysis, virtual wind tunnel and our digital twin as dampers can´t cope with strong wind situations.

Aeroelasticity in Photovoltaic Installations and Wind in PV Structures Aeroelasticity results from the interaction between wind, the supporting structure, and the dynamic behavior of PV panels. Under strong or turbulent wind conditions, this interaction can cause vibrations, resonances, and deformations  that directly affect the structural performance of PV systems. Structural Risks in High-Wind PV Installations The combination of increasingly lighter structures and high-wind locations makes many solar plants especially sensitive to aeroelastic effects. Key risks include:
 • Dynamic resonances induced by wind
 • Overstressing of critical components
 • Panel misalignments
 • Premature structural fatigue of supports and anchors
 • Development of microcracks that shorten equipment lifespan

 In extreme cases, these phenomena can lead to catastrophic structural failures, compromising the solar plant’s safety.

Our  digital twin also records all extreme wind events and structural behavior, creating a hist orical dataset essential for:
 • Technical and structural audits
 • Plant condition assessments
 • Future decision-making in O&M 

Want to learn more about aeroelasticity in PV installations?
 https://cadeengineering.com or contact: aromeralduro@cadesoluciones.com  

Regards

AgustinRomeral

Gents

I am being required for more details regarding Aerolastic Effects on PV structures. To start with, you need to run a proper CFD assessment on the layout, including digital map and a detailed micrositting (with tracker models, etc..) in order to get the right loads on the scheme.

To run a proper CFD you also need a wind tunnel (eather virtual or actual) according to standars.

Eventually, you have to properly read the results, to understand them, to interprete them in order to issue proper risks mitigation measures (which normally include desing validation, geotechnical sudies, construction controls, etc...). This interpretation involves years of expertise assessing different designs and almost every tracker on the market.

Lets not forget PV industry keeps searching for reduction costs and related new design and construction protocols (which obviously  impact on safety coefficients and potential  weakening).

It is no more than the "Integrity" studies run in other more developed industries such as Oil&Gas for example.

Want to learn more about aeroelasticity in PV installations?
 https://cadeengineering.com or contact: aromeralduro@cadesoluciones.com

Regards

AgustinRomeral

Hi folks
I have been receiving some questions regarding aerolastic effect classification. I know it is normal to think like that, specially when you are entering the subject for the first time. How many % for the different types? % of different effects on PV structures? , etc..

In CADE we don´t run statistics, we don´t assess PV design based on historical events. We run design valuation based on proper CFD models, which include sites and tracker models to be used. And we strongly recommend to proceed this way.

The key point is CFD tools. We use a Virtual Wind Tunnel (according to ASCE and EURO norms) with all the needed data (wind+trackers+digital maps) to properly calculate loads, and we the replicate tracker responses to different wind scenarios. 

Later, we run stability test in our testing bench. And then only, we make all recommendations to our client.