[Issue with shading model during batch simulations]

I am trying to run batch simulations for differing inclination and shading angles. However, I am receiving an error on some of the batch runs which states that the shading area is lower than the PV module area. See the lines from the batch results file below. I have included examples which have and have not run. These simulations use a row size of 550m x 4.068m and a PV module size of 1.002m x 2.008m.

 

Ident; Plane; Sheds 3D; Sheds 3D; PV module; Nb module; Nb strings; Inverter; Nb inverter; Simul; Error; E_Grid; PR; Yf; GlobEff
; tilt; Nb of sheds; pitch; *.PAN File; in series; in parall; *.OND File; or MPPT; Comment; ; kWh; ; kWh/kWp/day; kWh/m²
;[deg]; ; [m]; FileName; ; ; Filename							

SIM_215; 17.5; 26; 5.3376; Jinko_JKM_380M_72H_V_A1.PAN; 27; 1000; Huawei_Sun2000_60KTL_HV_D1.OND; 110; New simulation variant; Error: The Shading area is lower than the PV modules area. 				
SIM_216; 17.5; 26; 5.3376; Jinko_JKM_380M_72H_V_A1.PAN; 27; 1000; Huawei_Sun2000_60KTL_HV_D1.OND; 106; New simulation variant; Error: The Shading area is lower than the PV modules area. 				
SIM_217; 20; 25; 5.4808; Jinko_JKM_380M_72H_V_A1.PAN; 27; 959; Huawei_Sun2000_60KTL_HV_D1.OND; 136; New simulation variant; Warning: The Shading area is slightly lower than the PV modules area.; 10146677; 0.8437; 2.825; 1125
SIM_218; 20; 25; 5.4808; Jinko_JKM_380M_72H_V_A1.PAN; 27; 959; Huawei_Sun2000_60KTL_HV_D1.OND; 131; New simulation variant; Warning: The Shading area is slightly lower than the PV modules area.; 10140954; 0.8432; 2.824; 1125

 

When I calculate the shading area and PV module area, however, I consistently find that the shading area is larger than the PV module area. When I manually set up the system for single simulation it runs without issue. For example, SIM_215:

Module area = 27 * 1000 * 1.002 * 2.008 = 54,324.43 m²

Shading area = 26 * 550 * 4.068 = 58,172.4 m²

Is there something I am misunderstanding here or is there an error in the software?

[Batch Simulation - Error: No Parameters Were Changed]

I'm trying to run multiple simulations using differing inverters, modules, row spacing, etc. The simulations are running okay for one of the inverters but are throwing an error for the simulations which specify the other inverters. The error text is below.

 

Error: Batch parameter setting: No parameters were changed!

 

Below are samples from the BatchParams CSV file and the BatchResults CSV file which illustrate where this is happening.

Batch Parameters

SIM_1_SHD_25; 15; 42; 6.159908491667953; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4368; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 22

SIM_2_SHD_25; 17.5; 40; 6.474259606231127; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4160; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 21

SIM_3_SHD_25; 20; 38; 6.776286599660978; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3952; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 20

SIM_4_SHD_25; 22.5; 36; 7.065414546409422; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3744; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 19

SIM_5_SHD_25; 25; 35; 7.341093074996865; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3640; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 18

SIM_6_SHD_25; 15; 42; 6.159908491667953; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4368; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 565

SIM_7_SHD_25; 17.5; 40; 6.474259606231127; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4160; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 538

SIM_8_SHD_25; 20; 38; 6.776286599660978; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3952; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 511

SIM_9_SHD_25; 22.5; 36; 7.065414546409422; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3744; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 484

SIM_10_SHD_25; 25; 35; 7.341093074996865; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3640; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 470

 

Batch Results

SIM_1_SHD_25; 15; 42; 6.159908491667953; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4368; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 22;New simulation variant;Warning: The shading table has not been computed;25369484;1157;0.8085;2.562

SIM_2_SHD_25; 17.5; 40; 6.474259606231127; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4160; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 21;New simulation variant;Warning: The shading table has not been computed;24318509;1171;0.8041;2.579

SIM_3_SHD_25; 20; 38; 6.776286599660978; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3952; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 20;New simulation variant;Warning: The shading table has not been computed;23263651;1183;0.8011;2.597

SIM_4_SHD_25; 22.5; 36; 7.065414546409422; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3744; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 19;New simulation variant;Warning: The shading table has not been computed;22162782;1194;0.7981;2.612

SIM_5_SHD_25; 25; 35; 7.341093074996865; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3640; SMA_Sunny_Central_1000CP_XT.OND; 18;New simulation variant;Warning: The shading table has not been computed;21622686;1204;0.7947;2.621

SIM_6_SHD_25; 15; 42; 6.159908491667953; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4368; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 565;New simulation variant;Error: Batch parameter setting: No parameters were changed!;;;;

SIM_7_SHD_25; 17.5; 40; 6.474259606231127; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 4160; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 538;New simulation variant;Error: Batch parameter setting: No parameters were changed!;;;;

SIM_8_SHD_25; 20; 38; 6.776286599660978; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3952; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 511;New simulation variant;Error: Batch parameter setting: No parameters were changed!;;;;

SIM_9_SHD_25; 22.5; 36; 7.065414546409422; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3744; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 484;New simulation variant;Error: Batch parameter setting: No parameters were changed!;;;;

SIM_10_SHD_25; 25; 35; 7.341093074996865; Jinko_JKM_270PP_60.PAN; 23; 3640; Huawei_Sun2000_40KTL_US.OND; 470;New simulation variant;Error: Batch parameter setting: No parameters were changed!;;;;

 

I'm trying to run over 100 different simulations for different shading and sizing scenarios and it is running without issue for the SMA inverter simulations but not running at all for the Huawei inverter simulations (although it states a warning about the shading table for the SMA simulations, I understand that this warning is a bug of PVsyst and that the shading tables are indeed calculated).

Could the issue be relating to inverter no. vs MPPT no.? Any help on this would be much appreciated.

[Variables not available in table view]

Since upgrading to v6.39 ShdLoss and ShdElec are no longer available to select when making a custom table from the simulation results. Have these parameters been removed or is this an actual bug?

[Issue adding module to database]

Running v.6.39 on Windows 8.1, when trying to manually add a module to the database the 'Model Parameters' tab disappears after any input. This means that the model cannot be calculated and that we are therefore unable to manually add any modules.

Is this bug isolated to my installation or is this version wide? Is there any current workaround?

[Batch Results -> Report]

I understand that batch simulations are primarily used for data and design analysis. However, with simulations taking a long time to run (1-2 hours+) it would also be useful to create individual .pdf reports for each simulation being run in a batch.

Apologies if my meaning was not clear.

[Batch Results -> Report]

Is it possible to produce a report after carrying out a batch simulation?

While the .csv output can be useful for analysis, a report format would make the batch processing much more useful for presenting results.

[Flat Roof - Off South]

Thanks for the response.

This seems very time consuming for large solar roof top installations.

[Flat Roof - Off South]

I am trying to create a shading model for a flat roof. The building has quite a high azimuth, as such it is not preferable to install the modules in line with the building.

Is there a simple way of having the modules facing due south when the building is has an azimuth of, say 45°? Or is it necessary to place each row of modules individually (this would be very time consuming!)?

[Curve Roof Approximation]

I am currently in the process of building a simulation for a curved roof.

In order to approximate the roof accurately, I have split it into arrays for every 1°. This gives 20 arrays in total so I must run three different simulations in order to capture the entire roof as PVsyst only allows up to 8 orientations per simulation.

I have split the model into three in the following manner:

- Model 1 - 8 orientations

- Model 2 - 8 orientations

- Model 3 - 4 orientations

However, whichever model I load into the 3D scene it states that I have one less orientation than is actually present (i.e. Model 1 reports 7 orientations, etc.). This means I'm not able to size the electrical system or layout the modules. Is there any workaround that you are aware of or anything you can recommend I try?

FYI, this problem is intermittent. It occasionally works but usually does not and there is no clear determining factor as to why.

Many thanks.

[Module Layout - Apply to all Tables/Sheds]

I'm trying to apply the same spacing and orientation to all identical tables in the Module Layout section. However, it does not work and the help file does not provide sufficient detail for me to troubleshoot.

Placing all of the modules table by table would take hours. Whereas, if this worked, there are only 3 table types to configure.

My current process is as follows:

1. Open module layout.

2. Select the spacing parameters.

3. Press 'All'

4. Select the orientation and filling parameters.

5. Press 'Set all modules' (I have also tried 'Set modules' and then 'Set all modules' but neither work)

Sometimes, after pressing 'Set all modules' the number of unassigned modules actually increases!

Is there something I'm doing wrong or is the program not functioning correctly?

Module Layout Screenshot

Near Shadings Screenhot

[Fixed tilt on two axes.]

I have been using PVsyst 5 for several months and have recently upgraded to PVsyst 6.

Is it possible to model an installation where the modules are tilted on two axes? Something similar to the image below but also on a tilted roof?

http://www.engineering.com/Portals/0/BlogFiles/tlombardo/WirsolSolarRoof.jpg