Numerical investigation on wind loads of an offshore floating photovoltaic structure considering the pitch motion and photovoltaic panel-deck interaction effects

Offshore floating photovoltaic (OFPV) equipment is emerging for capturing offshore solar energy. Wind load, a significant environmental factor affecting OFPV systems, plays a crucial role in safety evaluation. While some scholars have investigated the photovoltaic (PV) array load, their focus has primarily been on fixed or coastal types, neglecting the unique characteristics of OFPV such as dynamic motion and deck effect. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of dynamic pitch motion and PV-deck interaction on wind load. Firstly, a large eddy simulation (LES) model is developed and validated through time-step and grid convergence analyses as well as comparison with existing numerical studies and model tests. Subsequently, the dynamic pitch motion effect on PV units, PV arrays and PV arrays with decks is explored by assuming an ideal sine function for pitch motion. Additionally, the PV-deck interaction effect is uncovered through a comparison of PV array with and without decks. Further, a novel idea of formula modelling aiming at total wind loads is proposed and discussed. Results indicate the dynamic effect of pitch motion on OFPV is unremarkable, and the wind load could be evaluated through static results for engineering applications. Besides, the PV wind load is reduced by introducing deck but the deck load becomes dominant when wind flows through it first. The proposed idea of formula modelling has the potential to guide FPV wind load selection in engineering design.