Investigation on the effect of the number of sub-modules to convergence of structural responses in numerical analysis of the floating multi-body solar photovoltaic systems

Abstract

Most structures for floating solar photovoltaic systems consist of multiple modules which are made up of many buoys and connection beams. The hydrodynamic analysis on the total structure should be conducted to estimate wave loads on the structure precisely. However, considerable computation cost for the estimation of wave loads on the total structure is needed and the structural analysis using hydrodynamic load results also requests much computation time. Thus, to reduce the computation time, the analysis on the limited number of modules can be conducted instead of the total structure. In this work, the influence on the structural responses according to the number of module structures is studied. The numerical models are configured with the sub-module systems such as 1ⅹ1, 2x2, 3x3, ·, 9x9. The wave loads on the buoys of each structure are analyzed, and the stresses on connection beams are estimated. By utilizing the results of stresses on connection beams, the degree of convergence on structural responses according to the number of modules is analyzed. ？ 2021 by the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers (ISOPE).