Optimization of Photovoltaic Panel Array Configurations to Reduce Lift Force Using Genetic Algorithm and CFD

Abstract

Aerodynamic lift force acting on the solar structure is important while designing the counterweight for rooftop-mounted solar systems. Due to their unique configuration, the load estimated for solar structures using international building codes can be either higher or lower than the actual. Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) simulations haveproven to be an efficient tool for estimating wind loads on solar panels for design purposes and identifying critical design cases.Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations usually require high computation power, and slight changes in geometry to find optimum configuration can be time-consuming. An optimization method to minimize lift force effects on solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays installed on rooftops usesthe Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)and genetic algorithms proposed in this paper. The tilt angle and pitch between two rows of solar panels were parameterized, and a genetic algorithm was used to search for aconfiguration resulting in minimum wind lift force acting on the solar photovoltaic plant. Only combinations with a performance ratio > 80% were considered. Three different rooftopphotovoltaic (PV) plant layout configurations wereanalyzed in this research. Two rows of photovoltaic (PV) panel arrays wereconsidered for optimization in the 2D domain using ANSYS Fluent. Results showed that the difference in wind-liftforce between optimized configurations against that with maximum lift force configuration for all three cases above was fifty percent.

Wide-Area Measurement-Based Two-Level Control Design to Tolerate Permanent Communication Failures

“…To facilitate the search process, the Q and R matrices are strictly diagonal and each element has minimum and maximum value restrictions. This optimization model can be solved by any metaheuristic and the authors decided to use genetic algorithms for their simplicity and good results in optimization problems [54][55][56].…”

Optimizing Building Orientation and Roof Angle of a Typhoon-Resilient Single-Family House Using Genetic Algorithm and Computational Fluid Dynamics

“…CFD-based numerical modeling and GA-based optimization are integrable strategies used to generate highly recommendable designs for various technological products such as photovoltaic panel arrays [27], automobiles [28,29], wind turbines [30][31][32][33], unmanned aerial vehicles [34], and other industrial machinery [35]. The combination of CFD and GA achieved a minimum aerodynamic lift force on the photovoltaic structure by searching for the best tilt angle and pitch values between two rows of solar panels [27]. In the automobile industry, it is essential to continue improving the aerodynamic performance of vehicles through parametrizing geometries using GA [28,29].…”