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Title: Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields. Phase II. Final report

Abstract

This report describes a theoretical study of the aerodynamic forces resulting from winds acting on flat plate photovoltaic arrays. Local pressure distributions and total aerodynamic forces on the arrays are shown. Design loads are presented to cover the conditions of array angles relative to the ground from 20/sup 0/ to 60/sup 0/, variable array spacings, a ground clearance gap up to 1.2 m (4 ft) and array slant heights of 2.4 m (8 ft) and 4.8 m (16 ft). Several means of alleviating the wind loads on the arrays are detailed. The expected reduction of the steady state wind velocity with the use of fences as a load alleviation device are indicated to be in excess of a factor of three for some conditions. This yields steady state wind load reductions as much as a factor of ten compared to the load incurred if no fence is used to protect the arrays. This steady state wind load reduction is offset by the increase in turbulence due to the fence but still an overall load reduction of 2.5 can be realized. Other load alleviation devices suggested are the installation of air gaps in the arrays, blocking the flow under the arraysmore » and rounding the edges of the array. Included is an outline of a wind tunnel test plan to supplement the theoretical study and to evaluate the load alleviation devices.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Boeing Engineering and Construction Co., Seattle, WA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5649028
Report Number(s):
DOE/JPL/954833-2
DOE Contract Number:  
NAS-7-100-954833
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; SOLAR CELL ARRAYS; WIND LOADS; AERODYNAMICS; COMPUTER CALCULATIONS; CONFIGURATION; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; ORIENTATION; PRESSURE GRADIENTS; TURBULENCE; VELOCITY; WIND; DYNAMIC LOADS; EQUIPMENT; FLUID MECHANICS; MECHANICS; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; 140600* - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems; 140501 - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion

Citation Formats

Miller, R, and Zimmerman, D. Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields. Phase II. Final report. United States: N. p., 1979. Web. doi:10.2172/5649028.
Miller, R, & Zimmerman, D. Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields. Phase II. Final report. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5649028
Miller, R, and Zimmerman, D. 1979. "Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields. Phase II. Final report". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5649028. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5649028.
@article{osti_5649028,
title = {Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields. Phase II. Final report},
author = {Miller, R and Zimmerman, D},
abstractNote = {This report describes a theoretical study of the aerodynamic forces resulting from winds acting on flat plate photovoltaic arrays. Local pressure distributions and total aerodynamic forces on the arrays are shown. Design loads are presented to cover the conditions of array angles relative to the ground from 20/sup 0/ to 60/sup 0/, variable array spacings, a ground clearance gap up to 1.2 m (4 ft) and array slant heights of 2.4 m (8 ft) and 4.8 m (16 ft). Several means of alleviating the wind loads on the arrays are detailed. The expected reduction of the steady state wind velocity with the use of fences as a load alleviation device are indicated to be in excess of a factor of three for some conditions. This yields steady state wind load reductions as much as a factor of ten compared to the load incurred if no fence is used to protect the arrays. This steady state wind load reduction is offset by the increase in turbulence due to the fence but still an overall load reduction of 2.5 can be realized. Other load alleviation devices suggested are the installation of air gaps in the arrays, blocking the flow under the arrays and rounding the edges of the array. Included is an outline of a wind tunnel test plan to supplement the theoretical study and to evaluate the load alleviation devices.},
doi = {10.2172/5649028},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5649028}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979},
month = {Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979}
}