Numerical Analysis and Wind Tunnel Validation of Wind Deflectors for Rooftop Solar Panel Racks

Abstract

Solar power since the past decade has become one of the very promising energy alternatives to the non-renewable forms of energy such as coal and natural gas. Solar panels that harvest solar power do not require the amount of space compared to other forms of renewable energy like wind turbines. In addition, solar panels have virtually an unlimited source of power derived from the sun and it can even be installed on the rooftops of buildings. One problem that arises with the placement of solar panel racks on the rooftops of buildings is occasional high wind loads the racks experience, requiring an efficient and optimized wind management system, sometimes known as wind deflectors. Wind deflectors not only prevent the solar panels from wind loads, but also ensure the safety of civilians and the surrounding property. This thesis employs the combinatorial utilization of experimental wind tunnel tests to validate the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code embedded in ANSYS Fluent Software for analysis, design, and optimization of the wind deflector. The work in this thesis includes the consideration and detailed analysis of wind loads on the solar panels due to high wind speeds, leading to the design of an optimized wind deflector to prevent such loads. Research study comprehends physical modeling, mathematical modeling, and numerical simulation validated by wind tunnel tests to analyze the wind loads on scaled models. Extensive experimental data and simulation results were thoroughly analyzed and it was concluded that an elliptic-profiled wind deflector with fins positioned before the solar panels can reduce the wind loads by approximately 50%.