Hydrodynamic analysis of floating photovoltaic system constrained with rigid connectors

Abstract

With the expansion of floating photovoltaics, rigid connectors offer advantages over polyester ropes by reducing the relative motion of floats and simplifying the layout of the connection system. However, the overall stability and safety of the floating photovoltaic system may be compromised if a wave crest occurs at the connection point of the rigid connector during motion. Furthermore, the rigid connectors with different degrees of freedom significantly impact the motion of the floats and their connection loads. In this study, three types of single-rod rigid connector models with varying constraints are established through numerical simulation to explore the feasibility of applying single-rod rigid connectors with different degrees of freedom in photovoltaic systems. Based on their degrees of freedom, these connectors are classified as cardan, purely rigid, and hinged. An analysis of float motion and connector loads in two-floating, four-floating, and eight-floating systems shows that as the number of floats increases, the axial distance between them decreases, resulting in more intense motion. Despite this, the eight-floating system maintains a certain safety distance. The maximum load on the connectors occurs in the middle of the multi-floating system, and releasing degrees of freedom can help mitigate some of the load effects. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-024-81245-w.