Numerical study on wind load characteristics of photovoltaic modules with sand barriers

Sand barriers have been extensively applied to reduce sandstorm hazards in Desert Photovoltaic (PV) systems, but their effects on the aerodynamic performance of ground PV modules are seldom addressed. In this study, the effects of sand barriers on PV modules investigated by computational fluid dynamics have been investigated. The results demonstrate that as the tilt angle is increased, the positive pressure area on the front surface shifts from the center to the sides, while the maximum negative pressure on the rear surface intensifies toward the edges. It is evident that increasing the height of the sand barrier results in the elevation of the maximum negative pressure region on the rear surface. Additionally, when the tilt angle increases from 15° to 60°, the drag coefficient (CD) increases significantly, peaking at a 900% rise. In the cases of 45° and 135° wind direction angles, the moment coefficients (CMX/Y) also increase significantly. Wind loads under the case of sand barrier height of 1 m are the highest, while the drag coefficient CD and lift coefficient (CL) are minimized at the spacing of 10.5 m. Finally, a sand barrier with a porosity of 0.5 yields an optimal distance of 10.5 m. These results can provide critical insights for wind-resistant design of PV modules, ensuring the stable operation of PV power plants in desert environments.