Structural Optimization of the Pole Mount Supports

of a Solar Panel in a Wind Load Case Study

Mono-objective Optimization

www.ozeninc.com/Optimization

optimization@ozeninc.com

www.ozeninc.com/Optimization

optimization@ozeninc.com

OVERVIEW

1. Problem Definition - Optimization of a Pole Mount Supports of a Solar Panel under

Wind Load

2. ANSYS CFX FSI Analysis

Optimization Applied to a Solar Panel

Mounts

3. Optimization Problem Definition - Workflow Creation in modeFRONTIER

4. Postprocessing – Analyzing the Optimum Configurations

5. Conclusions: Solar Panel Improvements through Optimization

6. What modeFRONTIER can do for you?

Increase the Structural Rigidity of the Solar Panel

System

Objective:

• To determine the optimized geometric configuration

of the pole mount support structure of a solar panel

under a 5 m/s wind load when subjected to a mono

objective optimization: Minimize the Max Panel

Displacement

Pole Mounted Solar Panel

Why to Minimize the Solar Panel Max Displacement

• Increase in the structural rigidity of the solar panel and the pole mount attachments to withstand

sufficient wind loading which in turn improves the product quality.

• On the other hand this could also improve the accuracy of the system that control the panel tilting.

The Solar Panel Model - Problem Definition

Initial Geometry (Symmetry Model)

• Solar Panel - Length 500 mm, Width 400 mm, Thickness 40 mm

• Pole Mount 1 - Length 80 mm, Thickness 15 mm

• Pole Mount 2 - Length 80 mm, Thickness 15 mm

Input parameters (material)

Solar Panel

Pole Pole Input parameters (material)

• Homogenized Material (Aluminum and Glass) for Solar Panel

• Structural Steel for the Pole Mount Support

Boundary condition

• The bottom Face of the Pole mounts are Grounded

Geometry Model

Pole

Mount

1

Pole

Mount

2

Annual Average Wind Resource Estimates in the Contiguous United States

Wind Speed Wind Speed

considered for the

Problem is 5 m/s

Image from http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind

• The parametric problem analysis is modeled within the solver(Ansys)

ANSYS CFX FSI Analysis

Structural Rigidity Simulation Of Solar Panel In A Wind Load.

• ANSYS CFX Two-way FSI Analysis is performed to find themaximum displacement of the Homogenized solar panel whensubjected to a Wind load of 5 m/s.

• Fluid Domain is Modeled in ANSYS CFX

Ansys FSI Analysis• Solid Domain is modeled in ANSYS WB and

• Two-way FSI Problem is run in ANSYS CFX. It provides the ability to solve, or take part inthe solution of cases that involve the coupling of solution fields in fluid and soliddomains. This coupling is commonly referred to as Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI).

• Results available from these Analyses are: Displacements, Pressure, Velocity for Fluid and Solid domains.

modeFRONTIER - From DOE to Optimum

a

• The Design of Experiments algorithm (DOE) creates an initial population of possible designs.

a

• Starting from the initial population, modeFRONTIER explores all parameters domains

• ModeFRONTIER searches the Max. or Min. of the objective function(s) using a

Initial configurations in the design

space through DOE

The whole process, from the DOE generation to the Pareto FRONTIER identification

is carried out in an efficient and automated fashion by modeFRONTIER.

• ModeFRONTIER searches the Max. or Min. of the objective function(s) using a variety of state-of-the-art optimization techniques

• A trade-off curve representing the optimum configurations is found. This is typical of problems involving an optimization against conflicting objective, where we don't have an optimal solution, but rather a full set of optimal solutions

space through DOE

Pareto Frontier: the curve

representing the optimal designs

Create workflow in modeFRONTIER

• Define the Inputs and their Domains as shown below:

Mono - Objective Solar Panel Pole Mount Optimization

Problem Definition In modeFRONTIERTM

Parameter Domain

Pole1 Length 75 - 100 mm

Pole1 Thickness 10 - 20 mm

Pole2 Length 75 - 100 mm

Random as DOESIMPLEX as Scheduler

Input variables of the parametric model

Workflow in modeFRONTIER

Two-way FSI Ansys CFX

Pole2 Thickness 10 - 20 mm

Single Objective

• Set Ansys as an Application Node

• Set the Logic flow

• Set the Outputs

• Set the Objective: Min. Deformation Ansys StructuralInput File Transfer

Ansys Mesh FileTransfer For CFX

Postprocessing – Bubble Plot

• The Bubble plot shown is a 4D view of the

scatter.

• It compares the design points with respect

to different factors (e.g. displacement,

thickness, and length).

• Design #24 is the optimal design point. It

gives the minimum solar panel

Dis

pla

cem

en

t

Pole 1 LengthMin

Max

Diameter

Min = Maximum Pole 2

Thickness

Optimum

Design #24 gives the minimum solar panel

displacement which is the single objective

defined in this case.

With modeFRONTIER you can:

- test multiple designs

- carry out sensitivity analysis

- find variable trends

- define the optimal solutions to the objectives

that has been defined

With modeFRONTIER you can:

- test multiple designs

- carry out sensitivity analysis

- find variable trends

- define the optimal solutions to the objectives

that has been definedDesign ID

Dis

pla

cem

en

t

Thickness

Max = Minimum Pole 2

Thickness

Design #24

<ID>Pole1

Length

Pole1

Thickness

Pole2

Length

Pole2

Thickness

modeFRONTIER

OBJECTIVE -

Minimize Solar Panel

Max. Displacement

0 75 10 100 20 1.434E-003

1 75 10 75 10 5.812E-003

2 100 15 75 20 1.154E-003

23 100 20 75 20 9.064E-004

24 100 20 100 20 7.372E-004

Postprocessing - Designs Table and

Optimum Configuration

Few of the Simplex Designs are represented in the table above for your convenience

• modeFRONTIER tested several designs

• Design #24 represents the optimum design with a displacement decrease of 56.6% from the initial

design

• modeFRONTIER tested several designs

• Design #24 represents the optimum design with a displacement decrease of 56.6% from the initial

design

Few of the Simplex Designs are represented in the table above for your convenience

ParameterPole1

Length

Pole1

Thickness

Pole2

Length

Pole2

Thickness

Solar Panel

Max. Displacement

Initial Design 80 15 80 15 1.702E-003 0%

Mono. Obj. Design 100 20 100 20 7.372E-004 56.6%

CFX Postprocessing – Optimized Design Configuration

• Solid colored streamlines represent the wind

velocity

• The Mesh Displacement Figure shows the

Displacement Contour Plot for the Solar panel

along with the Wind streamlines.

• The Maximum Displacement takes place at the

solar panel upper edge

Mesh Displacement

• modeFRONTIER found the optimized

configuration with a 56.6% decrease in Max.

Displacement if compared to Initial Design.

• The Pressure Figure shows the Pressure Contour

Plot for the Solar panel, Ground and the

Symmetry Planes. The Pressure Difference near

the solar Panel geometry is very obvious due to

the applied wind load.

Pressure

Conclusions

• In few hours modeFRONTIER tested several

configurations, the same task would have

taken days for a single operator

• ModeFRONTIER found the optimum design

achieving improvement for all the parameter

specified:

56.6% displacement reduction = increase in 56.6% displacement reduction = increase in

product quality

• modeFRONTIER created an automatic procedure: once the parametric model is set,

the optimizator will keep iterating it till it finds the best configurations

• modeFRONTIER finds the optimum solutions (pareto frontier), therefore the need of

testing only the best configurations reducing the experimental phase and

controlling the spending

What can do for you?

The Designer using modeFRONTIER:

• can increase the structural rigidity of the

solar panel and supports by finding the

Optimum Design Configuration for the

problem In hand.

• can decrease the Material Cost by

Panel Tilt Degree

Pole

Support Structures

Wind

• can decrease the Material Cost by

decreasing the Support Mass at the same

time ensuring the Structural Rigidity of the

system.

• can find Optimal Tilt Degree values of the

Solar Panel on the prevailing wind

conditions.

• …

Process Integration Design of Experiments Optimization Algorithms Robust Design

modeFRONTIER Capabilities

MCDM Multivariate AnalysisStatistical AnalysisResponse Surface Tool

Stay Ahead During Challenging Times

• To learn more about how Ozen Engineering can help

you incorporate simulation into your design and

testing processes, please visit us at www.ozeninc.com

• For more Design Optimization Case Studies visit: • For more Design Optimization Case Studies visit:

http://ozeninc.com/default.asp?ii=256

• To learn more about modeFRONTIER visit us at:

www.ozeninc.com/Optimization

• If you would like us to create a demo for your specific

case or for any other question, please contact us at:

optimization@ozeninc.com