Discussion on Array Layout in Narrow and Long Ridge Areas

For photovoltaic projects in complex terrain, many of the feasible areas for layout are often the narrow strips near mountain ridges, as illustrated in the figure below: 1. Create zones In such a long and narrow Layout area, if the southern slope and the northern slope are each divided into Layout areas, that is, divided into two Layout areas, there may be three problems: Therefore, it is recommended to divide it into a layout area, as shown in the above figure. 2. Standard layout The conventional layout involves arranging by row, with each array following a specific gap control. This may result in arrays spanning ridges, as illustrated in the figure below (dark blue arrays): This brings two problems: 3. Control the Max. pile height difference Candela3D software supports the control of the maximum pile length difference for individual arrays. When the pile length difference at the array's location exceeds…

Design of medium voltage collection line based on the shortest total cable length

Compared to low voltage collector lines, medium voltage collector lines exhibit the following characteristics: The design function of the new version of the medium voltage power collection line is precisely based on the above characteristics. The specific design steps can be divided into the following seven steps: Below, a specific project involving the combination of Double circuit, Cable, and Overhead on the same tower will be demonstrated. 1. Put Start point 2. Place the Iron tower 3. Draw the public Cable route 4. Manually specify which transformers and iron towers belong to which grid connection point 5. Automatically find the connection path with the shortest Total Length 6. Verify connection relationships 7. Export cable list 8. Export the medium voltage cable route to CAD and automatically draw the medium voltage connection diagram Summary: The new version of the medium voltage cable collection line design feature aims to optimize the total cable…

New version of Combine function

The new version of Combine allows users to complete this task more conveniently and efficiently. The main updates are as follows: 1. Try your hand - divide according to the plan, using brute force and speed 2. Try your hand - Redesign the plan, use brute force to quickly divide 3. Advanced difficulty - two areas are independent of each other 4. Advanced difficulty - rope set selection, attempt to redesign the plan 5. Advanced difficulty - minimize the number of inputs as far away from the transformer as possible 6. Advanced difficulty - practical operation of scattered projects in Complex Terrain

New pile length filtering, new electrical connection, new medium voltage cable connection, cable tray piles, and a wave of feature updates are coming

The latest version of Candela3D software, version 3.8, has been officially released after four months of development. The main updates are as follows: 1. User-defined Slope and Aspect Range for Coloring Terrain 2. The phalanx has been equipped with a brand-new interface and undergone improvements in related functions 3. Terrace layout features comprehensive functions 4. New Combine Divide function 5. Brand-new Medium voltage cable connection function 6. The Cable list is layered to set the burial depth, ensuring a more accurate calculation of cable quantities 7. Brand-new Find pile length function 8. Exporting to PVsyst automatically simplifies mountains and elevates arrays, speeding up the import of DAE 9. Selection of laying materials for Cable laying: New interface and related functional improvements 10. Add the function to generate cable bridge piles 11. Adjust arrays and generate site leveling general plan to support setting earthwork balance 12. Add the function of importing…

Auto wiring, with dozens of plans to choose from

Following completion of creating power block, the subsequent engineering challenge resides in implementing rational combiner configuration for each unit - a process widely acknowledged as one of the most time-intensive phases in photovoltaic system design. In version 3.6.1, we have improved the algorithm for automatic wiring, enabling the calculation of thousands of plans at once, and providing dozens of final plans for users to choose from. 1. Please watch the video below to learn about the relevant feature introductions 2. Function introduction (1) Users can freely set the calculation method for the number of inputs of the Combine device, such as calculating based on the number of Combine devices, the maximum number of inputs, or the capacity ratio, and choose whether to balance the inputs. The software will automatically perform these calculations. (2) The software is capable of generating multiple division plans based on the Foundation parameters set by the…

Multi-dimensional analysis of array layout results – shadow analysis

Shadow obstruction is one of the core issues in the layout of photovoltaic arrays, and it is also one of the important indicators for evaluating the results of photovoltaic array layout. Candela3D enables multi-dimensional visualization and analysis of site-specific shading conditions, providing critical references for layout adjustments and design optimization of solar fields. 1. Display the shadows in the photovoltaic array field in real-time During any other operations, it can simultaneously display the real-time 3D shadows at a specified moment, supporting fixed, adjustable inclination, and horizontal single-axis (including inverse tracking). 2. When moving, copying, or deleting arrays, the array shadows should be displayed in real-time Unlike Figure 1, the shadow shown here: 1) is the shadow of the array when it is lowered to a height of 0 meters above the ground; 2) represents the shadow range line during a specific time period (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on…

The flat single-axis column automatically adjusts and generates a site leveling plan

The length of a flat single-axis solar panel can exceed 100 meters, and even minor topographical variations can cause height differences of several meters between adjacent panels in the north and south directions, significantly affecting power generation. To adjust the height difference between adjacent supports in the north and south to an acceptable range (which may require a difference of 0.3 meters or less to reduce obstruction and facilitate the operation of cleaning robots), two approaches can be taken: (1) Adjust the bracket using the adjustment range of the column itself. However, the adjustment range of the column is limited, generally only 0.3 meters. (2) Level the site appropriately. Among them, site leveling can be approached from two perspectives: ① Taking into account the natural terrain, the site is leveled into a single slope with a consistent gradient and aspect. In layman's terms, it means the site is leveled into a slightly inclined plane that closely resembles the natural terrain. The advantage of…

Intelligent guided Planning of mountain roads

The planning of roads in Complex Terrain must meet requirements such as slope and turning radius. To facilitate users in efficiently completing related tasks, the following new features from Candela 3D have been added: Draw central line of the road: It can intelligently guide users to plan roads that meet the required slope and turning radius; Edit central line of the road: Modify the planned road; Import road centerline from CAD: The slope and turning radius of the imported road can be verified and edited to meet the requirements; Draw central line of the road: Edit central line of the road: Import the road centerline from CAD:

Multi-dimensional Analyze Array layout results – Statistical Analysis

Array layout is one of the core achievements in the design of photovoltaic power stations and the important part of the refined design of photovoltaics. Statistical analysis of the final arranged arrays can be used to check whether the results are reasonable and also provides a reference for the optimization of design results.Candela3D provides users with the following statistical analysis capabilities: 1. Array real tilt/azimuth The actual tilt/azimuth is relative to the nominal tilt/azimuth, mainly for complex terrains. Since no site leveling is performed, the long side of the array no longer remains horizontal, resulting in changes in the actual orientation of the array. For details, see the article "Are You Really Thoroughly Understanding the Familiar Tilt and Azimuth?". 2. Array nominal tilt/azimuth/base slope The nominal tilt/azimuth refers to the tilt and azimuth set during the layout. When the ground on which the arrays are located is horizontal, the real…

Based on the existing red line of the land, quickly start the plot selection

The site selection for projects in complex terrain typically involves several steps: 1）Confirm a preliminary red line range based on land use properties, property ownership, etc 2）Eliminate the Red line Range with too small Available Area 3）Eliminate the Red line Range with too low Available Ratio 4）Within the remaining Red line range, select the final Available range In this article, we will introduce how to use Candela3D to quickly screen land parcels based on existing red line of the land. It primarily covers steps 2) to 4). 1. Exclude the Red line Range with too small Available Area After excluding Restricted areas (such as roads, residential areas, etc.), red line areas with a certain low pressure value will be eliminated. 2. Exclude the Red line Range with too low Available Ratio Areas that pass the hill-shading analysis and are not within the prohibited range, when divided by the area of…

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