EXPLORATION OF THE SUITABLE TENSIONED MEMBRANE PROPERTIES FOR THE PHOTOVOLTAICS INTEGRATION

Abstract

The possibilities for the integration of tensioned membrane structures and photovoltaics have been researched intensively in the past decade. This integration has huge potential and is intended to bring benefits to both of these individual systems. This paper presents a preliminary communication of the research that is intended to facilitate the PV/membrane integration. Upon reviewing the current body of knowledge in the field, it is concluded that the mechanical properties of PV are known, some integration already occurred, both of the systems are still being perfected, however, it is not clear what properties a membrane structure needs to have in order to be suitable for the PV integration. Therefore, the goal of this research is to find out the relation between some of the structural parameters and the strains of the membrane, which are already determined as critical for the photovoltaics efficiency. The methodology of the research is laid out in this paper. A numerical simulation will be conducted in order to achieve membrane strains lower than the critical. For this, a set of variable parameters are selected and altered. The results should help the designers in choosing the values of the structural parameters, with the goal of designing tensioned membrane structures suitable for the integrations with photovoltaics.