Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128

Comparative study of different PV modules

configuration reliability

W.M. Rohoumaa*, I.M. Molokhiab, A.H. Esurib

a
Center for Solar Energy Studies, Tripoli, Libya
b
EE. Department, Alfateh University, Tripoli, Libya
email: wesam@cseslibya.org

Abstract
One of the most promising source of renewable energy is the direct conversion of solar energy owing to the
present state of achieved technology in manufacturing PV modules, their comprehensive cost and the high
depletion in non-renewable energy sources. The reliability of stand alone PV systems becomes one of the major
trends in the present design of such systems. The system configuration plays an important factor determining the
overall system reliability. This paper emphasizes the existing manufactured modules and illustrates the reliability
analysis of different system configurations. AC bus level connection using module integrated inverters vs. DC bus
level connection, cabling losses shading effects are also examined. A case study is selected to calculate and
compare the reliability of different system configuration using the analytical approach.
Keywords: PV system; Reliability; Inverter topology; Module integrated inverter

1. Introduction configuration of these component has an impor-

PV electricity is a viable and cost-effective
option in many remote site applications where
the cost of grid extension or maintenance of
conventional power supply systems would be
prohibitive [1].
A stand alone photovoltaic systems consist
of photovoltaic modules, charge controllers,
batteries and inverters, the interconnection and
*Corresponding author.
The Ninth Arab International Conference on Solar Energy (AICSE-9), Kingdom of Bahrain
tant impact on the overall system reliability and
performance. There are many failures occurred
during the PV systems operating life, the majority
of system failures may be attributed to inverter
failures [2].
In this paper, a study has been made for
quantifying the effects of inverter configuration
on PV system performance and investigate the
several configurations to demonstrate system
performance and reliability. The failure rates
(λ), of the photovoltaic system components are

0011-9164/06/$– See front matter © 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

doi:10.1016/j.desal.2007.04.020
 W.M. Rohouma et al. / Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128
assumed to be constant, and the exponential
distribution is employed when a constant failure
rates adequately describe the behavior of the
system component, and the reliability becomes
R(t ) = e − λ t
and the MTTF (mean time to failure) is the
average useful life = 1/λ.
2. Reliability
Reliability analysis is the determination of a
mathematical expression that describes the reli-
ability function of the system, expressed in terms
of the reliabilities of its components. Once the
system reliability function has been determined,
other calculations can then be performed to
obtain system probability density function (pdf),
system average useful life and system failure rate.
The following system configurations are
considered in the reliability analysis:
a) Central inverter system.
b) String inverter system.
c) Module integrated inverter system.
2.1. Central inverter system configuration
The central inverter configuration system
consists of PV modules arranged in series and
parallel to get the desired current and voltage,
charge controller, battery bank and DC to AC
Inverter, as shown in Fig. 1, large number of
such classical configuration already in operation
allover the world.
Fig. 1. Central inverter system.
123
Central inverter systems requires DC wiring
which increases the cost and decreases safety,
and due to the large size, a modular, flexible/
extensible design is harder to realize with such
configuration. And the system reliability could
be quantified by multiplying the reliability of
each component in the system:
Rsys = Rarray × RBattery × Rcharger × Rinverter
The reliability of PV module Rm with failure
rate lm is
Rm = e − λ m × t
The reliability of PV array Rarray with n series
and m parallel modules is
Rarray = 1 − (1 − e − n × λ × t) m .
The reliability of batteries RB, with failure rate
lB is
RB = e − λ B × t
The reliability of charge controllers Rc, with
failure rate lc is
Rc = e − λ c × t
The reliability of inverters Ri, with failure
rate li is
Ri = e − λ i × t
and the system reliability for central inverter
configuration is
⎣⎢ ( )
Rsys = ⎡1 − 1 − e − n × λ m × t m ⎤ × e (λ c + λ B + λ i ) × t
⎥⎦
(1)
2.2. String inverter system configuration
In this configuration instead of one string
system (central inverter) it is more practical to
divide the system into k parallel subsystems, and
124 W.M. Rohouma et al. / Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128

is connected to its module using short run DC

cable, then the module is connected to the AC
bus using AC cable. The AC module provide
power to the load and charge the battery in day
time, and the battery will supply the load at
night time via bidirectional inverter (Fig. 3).
The AC modules and the battery set should be
both up for the system to work. So from reliability
point of view the AC module and the battery set
are in series. So the reliability of the system is
Rsys = Rm × RB

Fig. 2. String inverter. For AC module the reliability is

( )
N
Rm = 1 − 1 − e − (λ m + λ i) × t
interconnect theses subsystem on AC side, as
shown in Fig. 2. And for the battery with the bidirectional
The sub-string reliability is inverter is

( )
M
RB = 1 − 1 − e − (λ B + λ i) × t
( )
Rsub-sys = ⎡1 − 1 − e − n × λ m × t m ⎤ × e − (λ c + λ B + λ i) × t
⎢⎣ ⎥⎦
where N = number of parallel modules; M =
and for the overall system, the reliability is
number of parallel batteries and the overall
( )
k
Rsys = 1 − 1 − Rsub-sys system reliability is

) (
Rsys = ⎡1 − 1 − e − (λ m + λ i) × t ) ⎤
N
⎛ ⎡
(
Rsys = 1 − ⎜1 − ⎢⎛1 − 1 − e − n × λ m × t )
m

⎝ ⎣⎝ ⎣⎢ ⎦⎥

(
× ⎡1 − 1 − e − (λ B+ λ i) × t ) ⎤
M
k (3)
− (λ c + λ B + λ i ) × t ⎤⎞ ⎢⎣ ⎦⎥
×e ⎟ (2)
⎦⎥⎠
Once the equation of the reliability obtained the
pdf of the system could be obtained, by differen-
2.3. Module integrated or AC module
tiating the reliability function
An AC solar module is in fact a standard
d
solar module, combined with a module mounted pdf = f (t ) = − R(t ) (4)
inverter, the AC module produce alternating dt
voltage 220 V at the line frequency. The inverter and the average useful life MTTF of the system
∞
MTTF = ∫ R(t ) ⋅ dt (5)
0

3. School electrification in Beer Almeerhan

village
3.1. Introduction
Beer Almeerhan is a small rural village, lat.:
Fig. 3. Module integrated inverter. 12° 21’ 16.5 E, long.: 31° 05’ 17.1 N, located in
 W.M. Rohouma et al. / Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128 125

Fig. 4. School exciting system configuration.

Fig. 6. Central inverter reliability function.

the south GURIAN city. There are some buildings

in the village which is powered by photovoltaic The failure rate l is given by
system, such as a public building, a school,
tents, etc λ = 1/ MTBF
In this case the reliability analysis of the lm = 0.04 Failure/year [6]
photovoltaic system installed in the school is lC = 0.125 Failure/year [6]
considered. And different interconnection strat-
egies are compared to get better system perfor- lB = 0.1 Failure/year [6]
mance. The current system configuration is li = 0.1 Failure/year [5]
shown in Fig. 4.
3.2. Central inverter configuration
System configuration: (Central inverter system)
The system reliability of the central inverter
(existing system) is calculated using Eq. (1)
System voltage = 48 V Battery type STG 1560
( )
12
Solar power = 3600 Wp No. of series 24 Rsys = e − 0.325 × t − e −0.325 × t × 1 − e −0.16 × t
Module type SP75 No. of parallel 1
Using Eq. (4) the system pdf is
Module power = 75 W Battery voltage 2 V
No. of series Capacity at 100 hr rate f (t ) = system pdf = 0. 325e −325t
modules = 4
( )
1560 Ah/cell 11
No. of parallel Battery bank capacity +1.92e −0.485t 1 − e −0.16t
modules = 12 1560 Ah 48V
( )
12
Total no. of System load 1220 W − 0.325e −0.325t 1 − e −0.16t
modules = 48

Using the above equations it is possible to

calculate the system reliability, pdf and MTTF
as shown below:

The MTTF = MTTR (mean time to repair)

+ MTBF (mean time between failure)

The MTTR is assumed to be very small compared

with MTTF so the MTTF = MTBF Fig. 5. Central Inverter system pdf.
126 W.M. Rohouma et al. / Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128

Fig. 7. String inverter reliability function. Fig. 9. Reliability of the system using module integrated
inverter.
MTTF of the system using Eq. (5) = 3.0
years (Figs. 5 and 6). From Eq. (5) The MTTF of the System = 5.5
years (Figs. 7 and 8).
3.3. String inverter configuration
Using Eq. (2) The reliability of the PV sys- 3.4. Module integrated inverter system
tem using 4 string systems where K = 4, N = 4, configuration
M = 3 are shown: Using Eq. (3), using 48 module integrated
4 inverter, and 8 batery 12 V, 200 Ah each, with
⎛ ⎡⎛ ⎤⎞
( )
3⎞
Rsys = 1 − ⎜1 − ⎢⎜1 − 1 − e −0.16 × t ⎟ × e −0.325 × t ⎥⎟ bidirectional inverter, so the system reliability are
⎝ ⎣⎝ ⎠ ⎦⎠

(
Rsys = ⎡1 − 1 − e −0.14 × t ) (
⎤ × ⎡1 − 1 − e −0.2× t 8 ⎤
)
4 48
⎛ ⎡
( )
3 ⎤⎞
= 1 − ⎜1 − ⎢e −0.325 × t − e −0.325 × t × 1 − e −0.16 × t ⎥⎟ ⎣⎢ ⎦⎥ ⎣⎢ ⎥⎦
⎝ ⎣ ⎦⎠
Using Eq. (4) the system pdf is From Eq. (4) the system pdf f(t)

⎡
( ) ( )
7 ⎛ 48 ⎞ ⎤
f (t ) = ⎢1.6e −0.2t 1 − e −0.2t × ⎜1 − 1 − e −0.14t ⎟ ⎥
))
3
⎡
( ⎤
= 4 × ⎢1 − e −0.325t ⎛1 − 1 − e −0.16t ⎥
⎝ ⎠⎦
3
⎣
⎣ ⎝ ⎦ ⎡
( ) ( )
47 ⎛ 8⎞ ⎤
+ ⎢6.72e −0.14t 1 − e −0.14t ⎜1 − 1 − e −0.2t ⎟ ⎥
× ⎡0.325e −0.325t − 0.325e −0.325t × 1 − e −0.16t ( ) ⎝ ⎠⎦
3
⎣
⎢⎣
The system MTTF from Eq. (5) = 13.3 years
(
+ 0.48e −0.485t 1 − e −0.16t ⎤ )
2
(Figs. 9 and 10).
⎦⎥

Fig. 8. String inverter pdf. Fig. 10. Pdf of module integrated inverter system.
 W.M. Rohouma et al. / Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128
Fig. 11. Comparison between the different module
configuration.
Fig. 11 shows the comparison between the
different module configurations, and it is obvious
that the module integrated inverter has much more
reliability that the other system configurations.
4. Cabling losses
In a typical central-inverter PV system,
modules are connected to one another and to a
centrally-located inverter using DC cables. These
DC cables tend to be quite long and the resulting
losses relatively high. The exact level of DC
cabling loss will vary considerably between dif-
ferent system configurations. Australian design
guidelines recommend that peak DC cabling
losses be kept below a maximum of 5% [4].
In a typical module-inverter system, each
module connects to a nearby inverter via a short
run of DC cable, and the inverters are connected
to AC buss and as results the DC cabling losses
are reduced to around 0.1%. Module-inverter
systems are subject to additional AC cabling
losses compared to central-inverter systems.
Total peak cabling losses (DC and AC) for
module-inverter systems are therefore likely to
be considerably less than for central-inverter
systems, and it is around 2% [4].
5. Shading and mismatch
Partial shading of a PV array can signifi-
cantly reduce its output, since heavily shaded
127
cells will limit the output of other cells with
which they are connected in series trees, build-
ings, television aerials, roof structures, leaves
and bird droppings can partially shade a PV
array and result in a substantial reduction in
system performance.
Central-inverter systems are more susceptible
to power loss from shading and mismatch than
module- inverter systems.
In a module-inverter system, there is no
series interconnection between PV modules.
Losses from shading of a single PV module are
therefore limited to that module; any un shaded
modules nearby are unaffected. Hence losses
from shading in a module-inverter system are
usually much less than for an equivalent central-
inverter system and tend to be more proportional
to the degree of shading [4].
6. Conclusion
From the results presented in this paper the
following concluding remarks can be made:
1) A module integrated inverter system poten-
tially has much higher reliability than the
other configurations, multiple inverters pro-
vide in-built redundancy failure of one PV
module or inverter in a system with many
inverters will have only an incremental effect
on overall system performance.
2) The average useful life of the module inte-
grated inverter is very long comparing with
the other configurations.
3) Cable losses are reduced to the minimum
using module integrated inverter, because in
module integrated system the inverters are
mounted on the back of each individual
panel.
4) In module integrated system the impact of
shading using module integrated inverter is
lower.
5) Module integrated inverter system also pro-
vides enhanced modularity, new panels can be
added easily at any time.
128 W.M. Rohouma et al. / Desalination 209 (2007) 122–128
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