Hydrodynamic performance study of floating photovoltaic arrays with multiple floating bodies

Abstract

In the context of the global transition to renewable energy, floating photovoltaic systems have garnered significant attention as an innovative method of energy utilization. To investigate the impact of different arrangements of floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems on hydrodynamic performance, fully coupled numerical simulations of wind, wave and current were conducted in ANSYS-AQWA for three arrangements: rectangular array, linear array, and honeycomb-like array. The analysis focused on the six degrees of freedom motions and maximum mooring force under operational and survival conditions. It can be found that the rectangular array exhibits the strongest system stability, effectively reducing the mooring force and showing insensitivity to variations in load incident angles. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and engineering guidance for the design of FPV systems, offering substantial practical application value.