Study on the wind-induced fatigue of heliostat based on the joint distribution of wind speed and direction

Abstract

Heliostats are a kind of reflection devices in solar power tower plants, and are generally arranged in flat and open areas, with independent column structure. Because the angle needs to be adjusted continuously during the use, heliostats are subject to large wind load and their support structure is prone to wind-induced fatigue. In this work, a joint distribution model was established according to the law of heliostat tracking the sun and combining with the data on wind direction and wind speed at the local meteorological station. The mixed uniform design method was used to design the research conditions, and Ansys Workbench and nCode Design Life software were coupled to combine the finite element analysis with the wind tunnel test of the heliostat structure, so as to analyze the wind-induced fatigue of the heliostat support structure. The GBDT algorithm was adopted to fit the fatigue life in typical working condition, estimate its fatigue life and analyze the law. In this work, the fatigue analysis of the heliostat support structure was conducted through a combination of mixed uniform design and finite element analysis, so as to reduce the test conditions, improve the test efficiency and estimate the fatigue life, and provide a basis for engineering design.