Mechanical modeling of photovoltaic modules under wind-sand and temperature coupling

To address the problem that photovoltaic (PV) modules are prone to hidden cracks in deserts, such as Gobi, and wastelands, this study constructs a PV module mechanical model of wind-sand-temperature multiphysical field coupling on the basis of classical laminate theory (CLT). The equivalent stress distribution laws of silicon solar cells under different extreme weather conditions and how PV module geometry affects these laws are analyzed. First, a wind-sand load equivalent model and a PV panel temperature prediction model are developed. Second, in accordance with CLT, temperature variables are introduced into the geometric equations to construct a thermal–mechanical coupling model of PV modules. Finally, the correctness of the model is verified by ANSYS. Results show that the equivalent stress of the silicon solar cells is the highest in the central area of the module, and a sudden equivalent stress change occurs in the edge area. The equivalent stress of the silicon solar cells is the highest in extremely cold weather, and the equivalent stress of the cover glass is the highest in extremely strong sandstorm weather. The equivalent stress of the silicon solar cells is minimized when the cover glass is 5 mm thick and the back glass is 2.4 mm thick. When the aspect ratio is less than or equal to 2, the silicon cells’ equivalent stress increases sharply with increasing load. This study provides theoretical support for analyzing hidden crack failure and optimizing the structure of PV modules.