Performance of Steel Materials for Photovoltaic Mounting Systems

Solar photovoltaic mounting systems have stringent requirements for steel performance. The steel materials used in photovoltaic mounting equipment should possess the following properties:

1. Tensile Strength and Yield Point
A high yield point allows for smaller cross-sections of steel members, reducing the overall weight of the structure, conserving steel, and lowering the total project cost. High tensile strength increases the overall safety margin of the structure, enhancing its reliability.

2. Plasticity, Toughness, and Fatigue Resistance
Good plasticity enables the structure to undergo significant deformation before failure, allowing for timely detection and remedial measures. Additionally, plasticity helps redistribute localized peak stresses. Since solar panels are often installed at adjusted angles, sometimes through forced installation, plasticity facilitates internal force redistribution, equalizing stress concentrations in certain parts of the structure or components and improving the overall load-bearing capacity. Good toughness allows the structure to absorb more energy when subjected to external impact loads, such as wind-induced vibrations, which are particularly significant in desert or rooftop solar installations. This helps mitigate potential hazards. Excellent fatigue resistance ensures the structure can withstand alternating and repetitive wind loads effectively.

3. Processing Performance
Good processing performance includes cold working, hot working, and weldability. The steel used in photovoltaic mounting structures should not only be easily fabricated into various forms of structures and components but also maintain its strength, plasticity, toughness, and fatigue resistance without significant adverse effects from processing.

4. Service Life
Since the design lifespan of solar photovoltaic systems typically exceeds 20 years, excellent corrosion resistance is a critical indicator of the quality of the mounting system. If the mounting system has a short service life, it can compromise the stability of the entire structure, extend the investment payback period, and reduce the overall lifespan of the solar photovoltaic system.