Morocco’s Noor Solar Power Project has the world’s largest solar plant. Its phrase 3, also referred to as Noor 3 CSP, is the world’s tallest solar tower, with a height of 243 meters. How to protect this skyscraper from strong wind? Academician Chen Zhengqing from Hunan University Wind Engineering Research Center gave a solution recently.

Chen and his team tried to resist wind and control vibration through eddy current technology. As for a metal block in a magnetic field, either the metal block moves, or the magnetic field changes, there would come out induced electromotive force inside the metal, and thus generates electric current. When the moves of such metal plate do not parallel with magnetic induction lines, the metal will dissipate energy while generating heat, and consequently reduce vibration.

Experts tested the eddy current technology through a TMD on a model, and approved that Chen and his team’s solution could reduce vibration caused by strong wind on the Noor 3 CSP tower by 60%.

“Eddy current technology had been mentioned early, but was regarded as performing poorly when used in large civil engineering project. Academician Chen upgraded the eddy current efficiency by 6 to 8 times, which results in an ideal performance in the project”, said project manager Li Shaoying.

Noor 3 CSP construction unit has accepted Chen’s solution, and produced four sets of eddy current TMD equipment which will be installed by the end of 2016.

Beyond that, the TMD technology of Hunan University Wind Engineering Research Center has been used at Shanghai Tower, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, and Chenzhou Chishi Bridge projects.