Field measurement-based research on wind pressure interference effects of tracking photovoltaic arrays

Abstract

This paper investigates the wind interference effect on the rear row of photovoltaic modules as wind passes through the front row in a multi-row tracking photovoltaic array. Through field wind pressure measurements, we comprehensively evaluated the wind pressure interference effect under various tilt angle and wind direction angles, including variations in the wind pressure coefficient, wind force coefficient, central axis torque coefficient, column base moment coefficient, and fluctuating wind pressure power spectrum. The results indicate that when the wind direction angle is perpendicular to the panel width (L), the interference effect on the rear row is more significant, observed as a shading effect on the rear wind pressure coefficient, wind force coefficient, central axis torque coefficient, and column base moment coefficient. The interference effect gradually weakens as the wind direction angle increases/decreases; in the small tilt angle range (0° < β < 15°), the interference effect on the rear row is minimal. Additionally, under high tilt angle conditions, the third row experienced relatively higher wind forces compared to the second row. The interference effect of the fluctuating wind pressure power spectrum primarily manifests in the variation of vortex shedding frequency, significantly affecting the frequency peak of the rear components in the high-frequency band. The sensitivity of vortex shedding to wind direction and tilt angle adds complexity to the wind-resistant design of tracked PV arrays. This study offers valuable insights for designing tracking photovoltaic arrays to withstand wind forces.