Photovoltaic Engineering

Photovoltaic Engineering

Photovoltaic is our field of expertise, where we offer by means of our qualifications, as professional experts and engineers, the solutions requested by our customers. Whether it is big or small, in open land or on roofs, in Ireland or Jordan, we build highly qualified photovoltaic systems worldwide that fulfil the necessary wishes and requirements. From site selection to project monitoring we are gladly at your service!

In this field we offer the following services:

Site selection
Planning and design
Analysis of profitability
Assembly and setup
Site management
Maintenance and monitoring

We are also pleased to offer you construction site managers when needed.

In order to get a general idea about our projects and options you are then in the right place. You will find below several and different solutions at a glance

We are your Partner for highly qualified renewing and stabilzing.

Eine unserer Anlagen in Rochefort

Structural design

Structural Design

Combining field expertise of engineers and plant installers and workers, we were able to bundle our knowledge and develop high-performing structures for photovoltaic systems:

Roof-top systems (fixed tilt)
Free-field, ground mounted systems (fixed tilt)
Sun-tracking structures (single-axis tracker)

Unique service:
Structures for system stabilization (refurbishment, endangered structures)

All structures have been optimized by us: highest stability and lightness are combined with outstanding price-performance and usability.

Our own Development Department calculates and draws the designs in 3D-CAD programs, this way it’s in our hands to adapt and combine the designs to your own

Substructures

Single-pole:
We are particularly proud of our substructure, which is erected on top of a row posts and can be set up in any terrain. Due to the special construction and the high-quality workmanship, the structure parts planned and produced in Germany are quickly installed and guarantee a good hold of the modules and the entire system.

The standard 22 °, 25 ° or 30 ° tilted arrays can either be set up as individual tables or as an uninterrupted row as for example by large free-field systems.

Stabilizing systems at risk

Here you can see the the installation of the stabilization solution in a photvoltaic farm located near Plymouth in the UK: the system has been installed as designed by us.

Stabilization of installed systems

After many years of experience stabilising installed photovoltaic systems, as an engineering company we are proud to continue satisfying our costumers with our unique services, adding especially in 2018 further projects to our list of references.

As an example we present a stabilization sytem with an additional post and supporting frames, which can be planned, drawn and also implemented by us.
Please refer to the following link for our references: >>here<<

In this CAD drawing you can see the top-view of the bracing, with clamps around the additional earth-driven posts and connected to the existing system.

We designed, supplied and installed this stabilization solution most economically and to the absolute satisfaction of our customer.

The stability of our new design was analyzed and confirmed by an independent expert.

Corrosion Protection Systems

Cathodic Protection Article from PV-Magazine and Ache Engineering

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Corrosion Protection Services and Systems

Due to special soil properties in combination with seasonal environmental conditions or due to the a PV-project’s electro-mechanical configuration, corrosion might take place at the supports and foundations of the PV -mounting systems.

As a PV-specialist company, Ache Engineering offers a broad spectrum of corrosion protection services and systems worldwide. These project-specific tests and systems are often required to protect the structural components of a PV-mounting system .

Furthermore, in urgent cases when a fast corrosion process has been identified, which is jeopardizing the structural stability of the system: Ache Engineering is more than ready to react swiftly and deploy a provisory rescue solution for avoiding further damage to the structural components of the system and without having much impact on the operation from temporary power cuts and more.

In any case, a fundamental distinction must be made between above-ground and underground corrosion: the most frequent and critical case is the underground anodic corrosion which causes great damage and in a very short time in the experience of Ache Engineering.

The necessary protective measures vary from project to project as each installation has its own particular conditions. If you are a PV-system operator and are facing any problems or complications in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact us here.

This is a metal post we found at a PV plant in England. You can see corrosion from the position of the post which is in contact with the ground. In this case, a cathodic corrosion protection system can put a complete stop to this process and block any further corrosion.

As the degradation of the the protective zinc layer progresses, some areas of the steel are decovered and this surface starts to get physically exposed to soil and moisture. At those points, the corrosion process gets significantly accelerated by stray currents.

This phenomenon can be solved only only with a considerable effort to prevent subsequent damages. The quality or lifetime of the protective solution have to be analyzed from case to case.

Performing the cathodic corrosion protection:
The part intended to be protected against corrosion will be electrically connected to another piece: the so-called sacrificial anode. During the process, electrons are exchanged between the two parts and the planned oxidation takes place only at the sacrificial anode. In this way, a cost-effective protection can be implemented easily. And if desired and depending on the soil conditions, it can also protect the parts for over 100 years.

This harmful form of corrosion is simply a chemical process caused by charge difference in the ground. Missining knowledge and miscalculated planning in the field of corrosion protection can cause your system to corrode in an accelerated manner. Ache Engineering luckily has the Know-How and experience to offer the best solutions in this field.

According to the specific environmental conditions of each PV-Park/Farm, we use special anodes with a customized sizing and an adjusted current for the entire system. These are introduced into the soil in a so-called anode bed.

Ache Engineering GmbH fully implements the solutions briefly described above: it is a very simplified explanation. We are your partner for the protection of industrial infrastructure, tank and offshore installations, pipelinesv submerged in water or underground. We can also plan and perform the protection of reinforced concrete and much more. From planning to subsequent maintenance, inspection and remote monitoring, we take all steps to efficiently protect your facilities against corrosion.

In most of the existing solar parks, the necessary interventions are manageable and we can coordinate them professionally with the operator or owner.

Ache Engineering has worldwide experience in the field of cathotic corrosion protection and implements the protective measures from planning to commissioning.

The picture above is an example of an anode bed specially designed for one of Ache Engineering’s cathodic corrosion projects.

You can download our flyer about our corrosion services here and you can find numerous projects with our expertise in this field under our References page.

Corrosion Prevention Engineering

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, is a famous quote that Ache Engineering applies to many of our work methods. In the field of corrosion protection, a more intuitive and careful planning would include measures for testing against corrosion levels and possible future damage to the PV-system components. This is why Ache Engineering is one of very few companies around the world that started to offer corrosion preventive measures that are PV-specific, which ensure a healthy structure of your PV-system for atleast the lifetime of any project handed to us.

Our preventive measures include offering site visits and inspections, consulting services, expertise reports on findings and different custom-made solutions that vary from project to project as well as corrosion protection systems. We offer cost-effective and straightforward solutions that can be easily explained to the client and integrated seamlessly into their PV-System.

Contact our experts for any information if we can be of service using the formular here.

This is a setup of a PV-specific cathodic corrosion test being carried out by a qualified professional.

You can download our flyer about our corrosion services here and you can find numerous projects with our expertise in this field under our References page.

Customized solutions

Sepcial Solutions

As expert engineers we are able to solve complex issues with a self-designed solution, fitting to your demands and conditions.

We are your Problem-solver and contact partner. Thanks to many partners and suppliers, we are able to find the solution that you are looking for with a variety of materials and products. Whether it’s a stability or profitability problem, whether an isolated (stand-alone) solution or intelligent energy solutions, as you can see from our references, we are in many areas.

Should you have any question regarding one or more of our solutions or concerning another topic, please do not hestiate to contact us or personally have a look at our solutions first-hand at our headquarters.

Photovoltaic Engineering

Photovoltaic Engineering