Experimental Study on Wind Load of Large-Span Flexible Photovoltaic Structure Considering Different Tilt Angles

Bin Zhang, Shidong Nie, Min Liu (), Honghao Zhang, Yifan Wang, Xinling Fan, Dongdong Zhang and Huaizhong Huang
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Bin Zhang: PowerChina Guiyang Engineering Corporation Limited, Guiyang 550081, China
Shidong Nie: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
Min Liu: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
Honghao Zhang: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
Yifan Wang: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China
Xinling Fan: PowerChina Guiyang Engineering Corporation Limited, Guiyang 550081, China
Dongdong Zhang: PowerChina Guiyang Engineering Corporation Limited, Guiyang 550081, China
Huaizhong Huang: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazhengjie, Shapingba, Chongqing 400044, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-25

Abstract: Due to their light weight, low stiffness, and large range of tilt angle changes, flexible-support photovoltaic structures are highly sensitive to wind loads. Therefore, it is necessary to study the wind load characteristics under large tilt angles and determine reasonable design wind loads. This paper investigates the wind load characteristics of large-span flexible-support PV arrays with different tilt angles through wind tunnel pressure measurements. The results indicate that, in terms of mean wind pressure coefficient, 0° and 180° are the most unfavorable wind direction angles. The first row at the edge of the array is the most unfavorable location, and its shape coefficient is recommended to be 1.3 (for wind pressure) or −1.25 (for wind suction), with subsequent rows of PV panels being appropriately reduced based on this value. The tilt angle of the PV panels significantly affects the shading effect, and under large tilt angle conditions, there is an abrupt drop in the mean wind pressure coefficient and fluctuating wind pressure coefficient of the second row facing the wind. Under large tilt angles, the critical wind direction angles for local extreme wind loads are within the ranges of 15–45° and 135–165°, and the most unfavorable locations occur in the corner areas at the edges of the array. Local extreme wind loads should be considered in the design.

Keywords: flexible support; photovoltaic array; wind tunnel test; wind pressure coefficients (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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