Solar brackets are a crucial component of photovoltaic (PV) power plants, as they support the core power-generating elements of the plant. Improper design can lead to accidents during severe weather conditions, which would have a devastating impact on the power plant. Therefore, in the design process, various factors must be comprehensively considered to ultimately determine the selection of brackets and the layout of PV arrays.
Most ground-mounted PV systems adopt a concrete strip (or block) foundation design.
For the component assembly parts of any type of solar PV bracket design, the most critical feature is weather resistance. The structure must be sturdy and reliable, capable of withstanding atmospheric corrosion, wind loads, and other external effects.
Key factors to consider when selecting a design solution include:
- Safe and reliable installation
- Achieving maximum operational efficiency at minimum installation cost
- Near-zero maintenance requirements
- Facilitated reliable maintenance
In the proposed solutions, high-wear-resistant materials are used to resist wind loads, snow loads, and other corrosive effects. A combination of technical processes—such as aluminum alloy anodization, extra-thick hot-dip galvanization, stainless steel application, and UV aging resistance—is employed to ensure the service life of solar brackets and solar tracking systems.
There are two main types of foundations commonly used for PV brackets:
- Cement-based foundation: This type usually adopts independent or strip foundations, which can be either precast or cast-in-place. Its outstanding advantages include low steel consumption, minimal restriction by geological conditions, excellent corrosion resistance of the PV bracket, and low safety risks.
- Spiral pile foundation