Piles for Ground PV Plant
Jiangsu Guoqiang Singsun Energy Co., Ltd. is located in Liyang, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. It has more than 1300 employees and belongs to Jiangsu Guoqiang Group, one of the top 500 Private Enterprises in China. GQ Singsun ,focusing on providing advanced intelligent PV tracking solution supporting system and intelligent manufacturing service provider, is a global clean energy science and technology enterprises, is committed to promoting energy change, constantly optimize the energy infrastructure and the applications of the materials, to build a better future for human being. It has accumulated over 30 GW production and installation of pv support system.
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Solar Foundation Piles are round steel pipe piles available in varying lengths that can include either a plate to which the solar panel bracket(s) can be attached or holes drilled into the end of the pipe where clamps can attach the solar panel brackets. The tip is composed of a fi sh tail stinger and a single helix to allow for easy installation in most soils.
Benefits of Piles for Ground PV Plant
Reduced site preparation
Piles can be driven into the ground without the need for excavation or soil removal, which can significantly reduce site preparation time and costs.
Greater stability
Pile-supported PV systems generally have better stability and can withstand a greater variety of soil conditions and environmental factors, such as wind and seismic activity, compared to other foundation types.
Improved efficiency
Depending on the site conditions and design of the PV system, pile foundations can allow for greater optimization of module spacing and configuration, which can result in improved energy output and efficiency.
Low environmental impact
Pile foundations have a much smaller footprint compared to other types of foundations, which can help to minimize disturbance to the natural environment and preserve valuable land.
Reduced maintenance
Pile foundations require less maintenance compared to other foundation types, such as concrete foundations or ground screws, which can help to reduce costs and ensure long-term system performance.
Types of Piles for Ground PV Plant
Helical piles
A helical pile is a galvanized steel post with a split disc welded to the bottom at an angle to allow the foundation to move deeper as the post is rotated and driven down. Bobcats or other similar machinery with auger drive units are used to install these foundations. Sandy soils with low cohesion and high water tables are good fits for helical piles.
Ballasted foundations
Ballasted foundations are those where pre-cast or poured-in-place concrete ballasts are utilized to support the racking structure. These foundations are good candidates when high amounts of refusal are present or when soil conditions present poor lateral and vertical strength such as brownfields.
Earth-screws
An earth-screw is a steel post shape with threads welded onto or machined into it to create a large screw. After fabrication, earth-screws are typically hot dip galvanized with corrosion resistant zinc. These earth-screws are usually installed after predrilling holes into the rock or ledge and then screwing them into the holes with bobcats, excavators or other equipment using auger attachments. They can also be installed without predrilling if there are no refusal issues. The cost of installation is high due to the need for separate equipment to predrill. However, since the threads of the screw are very sticky and create substantial pullout resistance, they are less expensive then driven pile installation in sites with high amounts of refusal which typically require expensive over sized holes to be drilled and the driven piles to be installed with concrete poured around them
Driven piles
Driven piles are commonly found in larger projects. The piles are constructed of galvanized steel I beams, channel-shaped steel or posts. The piles are driven into the ground using special heavy machinery. Proper soil conditions must be present for driving piles. These conditions include good soil cohesion resulting in high pullout strength as well as limited refusal.
How Do You Choose Which Mounting Structure Is the Most Appropriate for Your Project?
Geological survey
The first step is to carry out a survey of the geology of the land where the PV system will be installed. A bore test and tests to understand the soil conditions are essential to understanding the best type of foundation to use. You need to assess:
● Ability to excavate the site
●The acidity of the soil, as this will determine whether you need to use a protective coating
● N values: which measure the relative density of sandy soil and the consistency of clay soils
●Presence of groundwater
●Soil forces
These variables demonstrate how different sites can require different mounting structures. Measuring them will help you to determine the best type of structure for a specific site’s soil conditions.
Plant design
Once you understand the geology and topography of the site, you can begin to design the PV plant with the most appropriate structure. Whether you decide to install the panels at a fixed tilt or install trackers to move the panels throughout the day to track the sun will also affect the structure.
Ground mounting structure types
The different options for mounting structures take into account the soil quality and other conditions at the installation site. These include:
●Ballast. If the soil conditions are not suitable for excavation or drilling, a ballast mounting system can use a pre-cast concrete block that is fastened to the ground. This mounting structure is often used for residential systems.
●Helical piles. In sites with weak granular soils, helical piles are driven deep into the ground and attached to the PV panels. They can withstand uplift forces caused by the soil expanding or by strong winds as the helixes in the poles keep them fixed in place. Helical plates provide strong load-bearing capacity, so they do not need to be as long as other types of driven piles, reducing costs.
● Pole mounting. Unlike ballast mounts, pole mounts do not require leveling the land or installing complex foundations. Pole mounting installs steel poles with concrete anchors to support the panels. Depending on the soil and weather conditions, some installations can require special adjustments to ensure the poles remain in place. Multipole mounting installs panels in a single line horizontally rather than separately, providing an advantage for large installations as all panels can be adjusted at once.
● Ground screws. Also called earth screws, these are suited to sites where the soil is compacted, contains heavy clay, or is rocky close to the surface. Screws have lower torque when driven into the ground and they are less likely to break in harder soil. Screws are easy to adjust in low gradients so that mounting frames can be installed level and require less complicated earthwork and engineering. But screws may not go deep enough for sites with steep gradients and are not suitable for less stable soils.
●Concrete foundations. Repurposed brownfield sites, capped landfills, and designated wetland sites are ideal for ground-mounted solar arrays, but they require foundation designs to be minimally invasive. These kinds of sites can use concrete foundation racking systems that do not disturb the ground underneath.
Structure installation
Once you have decided which type of mounting structure is the most appropriate for the site conditions, it’s time to install the system. Decide on the location for each structure and pile, and then mechanically fasten them to the ground.
The method will depend on the type of foundation you choose — whether this requires casting cement or hammering poles into the ground.
Bored Piles Vs Driven Piles
Driven Piles
Driven piles are the classic type of pile foundation. They can be constructed with timber, a technique centuries old and still used across the globe. In the UK, timber piling is used mainly for coastal works, sea defence and jetties. Another option is precast concrete piles, reinforced to withstand driving stresses, they are usually pre-pressed with a square or octagonal section. Lastly, there are steel piles of tubular, box, or H section. Interlocking steel sheet piles are also widely used, predominantly for wall construction.
With each of these materials, the piles are driven into the soil, pushing an equal volume of soil sideways and compacting a zone around the pile, increasing its bearing capacity. For this increase in soil strength to take place, the pore water pressures must dissipate by rapid drainage. This type of piling is not suitable for saturated or silty soils as they drain slowly and can not be compacted in the same way.
Bored Piles
Bored piles, also known as replacement piles or drilled piles, are constructed when large holes are drilled in the ground and filled with concrete. Bored piles are very effective as they transfer the load above ground to the deep rock and soil layers below with minimal settlement, which is ideal for supporting structures such as bridges and flood protection.
For some bored piles, the bottom of the hole is widened or under-reamed, creating a bulb at the end. A steel reinforcement cage is lowered into the hole before the concrete is placed or dropped in after the concrete has been poured.
Bored pile construction methods can vary depending on ground conditions. Within the category of bored pile foundations, the two commonly used subtypes are rotary bored piling and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piling:
●Rotary bored piling is used in cases where there are significant obstructions in the ground. A temporary casing is installed by the piling rig to provide support. ‘Pile arisings’ (ground and rock removed via boring process) are removed from inside the casing, then a steel reinforcement cage is installed. At this point, the hole is filled with concrete and the casing is removed.
●Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piling does not require the use of temporary casing – it is the most versatile, effective and commonly used type of bored pile foundation in the UK. Once the hole has been bored, concrete is pumped in, then a steel reinforcement cage is inserted.
As stated above, driven piles are a classic form of piling technique where a pile is driven into the soil, increasing its bearing capacity. Whereas a bored pile is constructed via drilling holes in the ground and filling with concrete.
The main difference between these two types of piles are that driven piles are formed off site and put in place on-site, whilst bored piles are cast in concrete on-site. Driven piles have the advantage of being rapid to build and use, however they create lots of vibrations, so aren’t suitable at compact sites. Bored piles are favoured as they don’t create this disturbance in soils, have higher bearing capacities and avoid seasonal disturbances such as frost penetration.
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Solar Panel Mounting Structures, Screw Pile, C Channel Pipe Hot Dip Galvanized