Introduction of Four Common PV Mounting Systems
What are the commonly used PV mounting systems?
Column Solar Mounting
This system is a ground reinforcement structure mainly designed to meet the installation requirements of large-sized solar panels and is generally used in areas with high wind speeds.
Ground PV System
It is commonly used in large projects and typically uses concrete strips as the foundation form. Its features include:
(1) Simple structure and fast installation.
(2) Adjustable form flexibility to meet complex construction site requirements.
Flat Roof PV System
There are various forms of flat roof PV systems, such as concrete flat roofs, color steel plate flat roofs, steel structure flat roofs, and ball node roofs, which have the following characteristics:
(1) They can be neatly laid out on a large scale.
(2) They have multiple stable and reliable foundation connection methods.
Sloped Roof PV System
Although referred to as a sloped roof PV system, there are differences in some structures. Here are some common characteristics:
(1) Use adjustable height components to meet the requirements of different thicknesses of tile roofs.
(2) Many accessories use multi-hole designs to allow flexible adjustment of the mounting position.
(3) Do not damage the waterproofing system of the roof.
Brief Introduction to PV Mounting Systems
PV Mounting - Types and Functions
PV mounting is a special device designed to support, fix, and rotate PV components in a solar PV system. It serves as the "backbone" of the entire power station, providing support and stability, ensuring the reliable operation of the PV power station under various complex natural conditions for over 25 years.
According to the different materials used for the main force-bearing components of the PV mounting, they can be divided into aluminum alloy mounting, steel mounting, and non-metal mounting, with non-metal mounting being less commonly used, while aluminum alloy mounting and steel mounting each have their own characteristics.
According to the installation method, PV mounting can mainly be classified into fixed mounting and tracking mounting. Tracking mounting actively tracks the sun for higher power generation. Fixed mounting generally uses the inclination angle that receives the maximum solar radiation throughout the year as the installation angle of the components, which is generally not adjustable or requires seasonal manual adjustment (some new products can achieve remote or automatic adjustment). In contrast, tracking mounting adjusts the orientation of the components in real time to maximize the use of solar radiation, thereby increasing power generation and achieving higher power generation revenue.
The structure of fixed mounting is relatively simple, mainly composed of columns, main beams, purlins, foundations, and other components. Tracking mounting has a complete set of electromechanical control systems and is often referred to as a tracking system, mainly consisting of three parts: structural system (rotatable mounting), drive system, and control system, with additional drive and control systems compared to fixed mounting.
Comparison of PV Mounting Performance
Currently, the solar PV mountings commonly used in China can be mainly divided by material into concrete mountings, steel mountings, and aluminum alloy mountings. Concrete mountings are mainly used in large-scale PV power stations because of their large self-weight and can only be installed in open fields with good foundations, but they have high stability and can support large-sized solar panels.
Aluminum alloy mountings are generally used in residential building rooftop solar applications. Aluminum alloy features corrosion resistance, lightweight, and durability, but they have low self-bearing capacity and cannot be used in solar power plant projects. In addition, aluminum alloy costs slightly higher than hot-dip galvanized steel.
Steel mountings have stable performance, mature manufacturing processes, high bearing capacity, and are easy to install, and are widely used in residential, industrial, and solar power plant applications. Among them, the steel types are factory-produced, with standardized specifications, stable performance, excellent corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appearance.
PV Mounting - Industry Barriers and Competition Patterns
The PV mounting industry requires a large amount of capital investment, high requirements for financial strength and cash flow management, leading to financial barriers. Additionally, high-quality research and development, sales, and management personnel are needed to address changes in the technology market, particularly the shortage of international talent, which forms a talent barrier.
The industry is technology-intensive, and technological barriers are apparent in overall system design, mechanical structure design, production processes, and tracking control technology. Stable cooperative relationships are difficult to change, and new entrants face barriers in brand accumulation and high entry. When the domestic market matures, financial qualifications will become a barrier to the mounting business, while in the overseas market, high barriers need to be formed through third-party evaluations.
Design and Application of Composite Material PV Mounting
As a supporting product of the PV industry chain, the safety, applicability, and durability of PV mountings have become key factors in ensuring the safe and long-term operation of the PV system during its power generation effective period. Currently in China, solar PV mountings are mainly divided by material into concrete mountings, steel mountings, and aluminum alloy mountings.
● Concrete mountings are mainly used in large-scale PV power stations, as their large self-weight can only be placed in open fields in areas with good foundational conditions. However, concrete has poor weather resistance and is prone to cracking and even fragmentation, resulting in high maintenance costs.
● Aluminum alloy mountings are generally used in rooftop solar applications on residential buildings. Aluminum alloy features corrosion resistance, lightweight, and durability, but it has low self-bearing capacity and cannot be used in solar power station projects.
● Steel mountings feature stability, mature production processes, high bearing capacity, and ease of installation, and are widely used in residential, industrial solar PV, and solar power plant applications. However, they have a high self-weight, making installation inconvenient with high transportation costs and general corrosion resistance performance.In terms of application scenarios, due to the flat terrain and strong sunlight, tidal flats and nearshore areas have become important new areas for the development of new energy, with great development potential, high comprehensive benefits, and environmentally friendly ecological settings.However, due to severe soil salinization and high Cl- and SO42- content in soils in tidal flats and nearshore areas, the metal-based PV mounting systems are highly corrosive to the lower and upper structures, making it challenging for traditional PV mounting systems to meet the service life and safety requirements of PV power stations in highly corrosive environments.In the long term, with the development of national policies and the PV industry, offshore PV will become an important area of PV design in the future.Additionally, as the PV industry develops, the large load in multi-component assembly brings considerable inconvenience to installation. Therefore, the durability and lightweight properties of PV mountings are the development trends.To develop a structurally stable, durable, and lightweight PV mounting, a resin-based composite material PV mounting has been developed based on actual construction projects.Starting from the wind load, snow load, self-weight load, and seismic load borne by the PV mounting, key components and nodes of the mounting are strength-checked through calculations.Simultaneously, through wind tunnel aerodynamic performance testing of the mounting system and a study on the multi-factor aging characteristics of composite materials used in the mounting system over 3000 hours, the feasibility of practical application of composite material PV mountings has been verified.
Post time: Jan-05-2024