Numerical simulation of extreme wave-wind conditions effects on a real field floating photovoltaic power system application

Abstract

The simulation of wave and wind loads on the 30 kWp Floating Photovoltaic system under extreme wind conditions was carried out using the Computational Fluid Dynamics method. The study focuses on real application of floating power plant, and the information obtained from the analysis is expected to contribute to the design of new or existing systems. Calculations demonstrate wave deformation in severe wind, yielding heterogeneous force distributions. The compressed air flow lines align with areas characterized by high-speed flow, with wind speeds ranging from 30 to 50 m/s. The wave kinetic energy increases due to the wind, resulting in high forces being applied to the surface of the Floating Photovoltaic platform. Turbulence Kinetic Energy exhibits higher values in front of and on the surface of the platform due to the disruption of the airflow. As a result of direct interaction with waves and wind, the front section of the floating system experiences significantly higher loads. The total pressure on the entire surface of the floating platform reaches maximum values of up to 38.677 kN/m². When compared with various analytical methods, it has been observed that the Goda and Morison methods yield closer results. This discrepancy is believed to stem from the omission of wind interactions and platform structure considerations in the analytical methods. Overall, the analysis highlights the importance of considering wind and wave interactions in the design and protection of Floating Photovoltaic systems, and the findings contribute to the advancement of these systems.