Experimental and numerical analysis

JUAN MANUEL PODESTÁ; ADRIÁN R. WITTWER; JAVIER L. MROGINSKI; JORGE O. MARIGHETTI

2023-02-01/2023-04-30

Mecánica

Energia-Solar

This work was developed in the Facultad de Ingeniería of the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste(UNNE). Wind loads and structural stresses over a new configuration of photovoltaic modules of the?Cordillera Solar? Plant located in Iglesia, San Juan, Argentina were evaluated. The Argentine WindAction code CIRSOC 102 [1] indicate aerodynamic coefficients for common structures and buildingsof relatively small size. The specific treatment of wind loads over photovoltaic modules is notindicated in this code. One way to calculate wind effects is to apply the aerodynamic coefficients forcanopy roofs but not all load situations are contemplated.The loads were estimated using pressure coefficients obtained in a previous study [2], which weremodified for the new conditions based on aerodynamic criteria. In this previous work, the loadcoefficients were determined by using the coefficients provided through wind tunnel tests. Theseexperimental coefficients were used for the static computation of the solar panel structure. Accordingto the obtained results, the design of the solar panel structure favorably responds to the applied loadsfor the cases here analyzed.This report details a similar analysis for the case of a new photovoltaic module configurationmounted on the same solar tracker system. First, a re-calculation of the pressure coefficient distributionand the wind loads is presented. Then, a computational structural verification of the solar tracker forthe same situations previously analyzed is detailed.