Installed solar power plant structures
The technical background for each implementation is the structure of the solar power station installed during the project.
Our company installs entire fixed-tilt and tracker systems, whether by ground screws or beams, both inside and outside of Europe. Fixed-tilt systems can be divided into two types from the point of view of mounting: systems with ground screws and with rammed footing (beams)
The third subtype is the so-called TRACKER system.
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Ground-screwed system.
Ground-screwed system developed by KRINNER.
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Rammed footing system.
Rammed footing ZIMMERMANN solutions.
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Tracker.
Tracks the movement of the Sun.
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The latest developments allow the installation of solar panels floating on water. Advantage: apart from not using up agricultural areas, the modules are subjected to continuous cooling, resulting in smaller thermal loss.
Ground-screwed systems.
Ground-screwed system developed by KRINNER.
In this case, dimensioned ground screws of 2 to 4 metres in length, depending on soil mechanics measurements, are drilled into the ground with dedicated machines.
Its biggest advantage is that installation is highly accurate and can be used in any soil type, requiring pre-drilling in rocky terrain. Tables form a single plane.
We basically use two types of systems:
System FLEX III.:
Advantages: suitable for installation in the most extreme terrains irrespective of topography, wide range of adjustments, great stability.
Drawback: Complicated installation, the most expensive system.
System FLEX V.:
Advantages: simple and quick installation, inexpensive.
Drawback: Can only be installed in flat terrains.
There are two groups from the point of view of anchoring modules. Anchoring modules with clamps, where modules are anchored one by one separately. Installation is slow, time-consuming.
Installation by rails where modules are slid between rails at a height of 4-6 modules.
Installation is very quick.
Rammed footing system.
As for foundation, the other system uses rammed footings by Zimmermann. In this case the footing is rammed in by a rammer. It is more widely used than the solution with ground screws.
Advantage: Relatively simple
Drawback: Inaccurate and can only be used in homogenous soil, not in rocky terrains.
Basically there are three system: single foot, dual foot and Big Foot.
The single-foot system (ZM1)
has beams rammed in a single line to mount the structure.
In this case the maximum number of modules installed is two vertically and three horizontally.
It is mostly used in small areas.
The dual foot system (ZM2)
is used in larger projects, and it accommodates 4-6 modules installed above one another. Very long contiguous structures can be created for up to 100 metres. Contrary to single-plane KRINNER tables, this structure can be used to create wave-like planes to follow the topography in the area.
The greatest advantage of the Big Foot system is that it does not need a rammer.
The structural foundation is the baskets made of steel sections with an affixed mesh or wire. The assembled baskets are filled with stone and sand to counterbalance the structure against tilting.
Modules are affixed to the structure in a single vertical line.
With respect to orientation of the installation, there are two common solutions.
In most cases the structure has a north-south orientation and an inclination of 20-30°.
This way sunlight is cast on the modules in an east-west direction from morning to evening at a fixed angle, regardless of the time of day or season.
The other type of installation mimics a roof shape with E-W orientation and an inclination of 5-10°.
In this case the two sides touch each other along the edges, which is advantageous for using up space.
Tracker system
Besides the fixed-tilt systems described above, Tracker systems tracking the Sun are becoming increasingly prevalent.
In this case orientation is east-west, and the legs of the structure are installed along an axis which also constitutes the rotation point for the modules. Modules are rotated by an engine with the appropriate algorithms to maximize capacity depending on the incidence angle of the sunlight at any one time. The latest developments allow the installation of solar panels floating on water. Advantage: apart from not using up agricultural areas, the modules are subjected to continuous cooling, resulting in smaller thermal loss.
