Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Floating Photovoltaic Systems under Ocean Loads

Abstract

The floating photovoltaic (FPV) array, which consists of tens or hundreds of rows of floating photovoltaic systems, exhibits great economic and environmental benefits. An FPV array arranged in the ocean will be subjected to the combined action of wind, waves, and currents during the installation, service, and maintenance processes; however, systematic research in this field is still lacking. As a representative of the FPV array, this study on the hydrodynamic characteristics of a single-row FPV system is a fundamental prerequisite for the safe design of large-scale FPV arrays in the near future. In this paper, based on the potential theory, a numerical model of a single-row FPV system with ten floating platforms is established with ANSYS-AQWA software. Following this, the hydrodynamic coefficients of a single floating platform are calculated and evaluated. After that, the dynamic responses of the FPV system under different load combinations are explored. Finally, the influence mechanism of wave parameters on the hydrodynamic characteristics of the FPV system is discussed in detail, including the wavelength and wave height. The results indicate that, within the scope of this study, the floating platforms have good seakeeping and stability. The wave load dominates for all conditions, and the presence of the current will affect the parameters of the wave. In addition, the relative relationship between the wavelength and the length of FPV system will affect their resonance effect, and the increase in wave height will significantly enhance the dynamic response of the FPV system. This study can help to provide references for the safety design of FPV arrays.

Keywords

• floating photovoltaic (FPV)
• potential theory
• hydrodynamic characteristic
• ocean loads