Chaper 10

System Design and Integration of Grid-Tied Systems

Presentation #2

Dr. Weidong Xiao

School of Electrical and Information Engineering

University of Sydney, Australia

2017
c

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Outline
1 System simulation and concept proof
2 Modeling and simulation of PV string
3 Model of switching mode converter stage
DC stage in two-stage conversion systems
AC stage in two-stage conversion systems
Overall system integration with both DC and AC stages
4 Simulation efficiency for conventional grid-tied PV systems
Averaging technique for switching-mode DC/DC converters
Averaging technique for switching-mode DC/AC converters
Overall system integration and simulation using averaged models
Long term simulation using averaged model
5 Simulation study for grid-tied system based on module integrated parallel
inverters
Averaged model for flyback topology as PVSC
Integral model of module integrated parallel inverters
Simulation to demonstrate MIPI system dealing with mismatch condition
6 Summary
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Simulation integration for AC grid-tied systems

Block diagram for simulating the power train of single-stage conversion systems

Block diagram for simulating the power train of two-stage conversion systems

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Modeling and simulation of PV string
250
P−V
8 Modeled MPP
7 200 Datasheet MPP

6
4 Output characteristics 150

pPV (W)
5

iPV (A)
of the PV module 4
100
3
HiS-M250RG
2
I−V 50
1 Modeled MPP
Datasheet MPP
0 0
0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30
vPV (V) vPV (V)

3000
P−V
8 Modeled MPP
4 Output characteristics 7 2500 Datasheet MPP
of the PV string that is 6 2000
formed by 12

pPV (W)
5
iPV (A)

1500
HiS-M250RG 4

4 Can be expended to 3 1000

2
different size of string or I−V 500
1 Modeled MPP
array. 0
Datasheet MPP
0
0 100 200 300 400 0 100 200 300 400
vPV (V) vPV (V)

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Model of DC stage in two-stage conversion systems

In two stage conversion systems, the DC stage can be built and evaluated
independently.
The two strings and DC/DC boost converters can be modeled.
The control and MPPT can be included in the simulation.

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Simulation of DC stage in two-stage conversion systems

3100
String 1 String 2

ppv (W)
3000
PV string output
2900
in response to 15 20 25 30
the temperature
380
difference: 30 String 1 String 2
(V)
◦ C vs 25◦ C
v
pv 370
The mismatch
effect between 360
15 20 25 30
two PV strings
8.5
is eliminated by String 1 String 2
ipv (A)

the DMPPT 8
solution.
7.5
15 20 25 30
Time (ms)

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Simulation of the centralized AC stage in two-stage conversion systems

Centralized DC/AC stage for grid connection.

Control system include MPPT, DC link voltage regulation, and AC current
regulation.

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Simulation for the designed 6kW system with DMPPT solution at string level

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Simulation response to the viration of irradiance and temperature difference

3000
String 1 String 2

ppv (W)
One case study is created 2000

to simulate the impact on 1000

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
the variation of solar 400
irradiance.

vpv (V)
350
Both PV strings String 1 String 2
300
experiences the 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
50
irradiance drop from 800

Current (A)
W/m2 to 400 W/m2 at the 0
moment, 55 ms, while the igrid Imag
−50
cell temperature is 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
602
maintained to be 2 o C
vdc(V)

difference between the 600

two strings (28 ◦ for string 598
#1 and 30 ◦ for string 30 40 50 60
Time (ms)
70 80 90 100

#2).

Switching
Photovoltaic Power System: Modelling, Design, ripple
and Control appearing in current and voltage 9 / 26
Simulation efficiency for conventional grid-tied PV systems

Many study tends to use the completed single diode model (CSDM) to
represent the PV electrical output.
The transcendental nonlinear equation of the CSDM describing the PV
generator generally result in slow and inefficient simulations.
As recommended in Chapter 4, it is a good practice to start the simplest PV
model, such as the ideal single diode model (ISDM) for simulation until the
model accuracy can be proved to be unsatisfactory.
The next level will be the simplified single diode models (SSDM).
The CSDM is the last option until the essence can be proved since it presents
an inclusive form of equations that is difficult to be computed efficiently.
A good simulation system should always consider the balance of the
simulation efficiency and the model complication. The unnecessary
complexity should be always avoided.

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Simulation efficiency for conventional grid-tied PV systems

The simulation speed is mainly affected by the switching operation.

For example, when the highest switching frequency is 50 kHz, the minimal
sampling frequency for simulation should be 5 MHz for 1% resolution to
represent the switching duty cycle.
It is usually assigned to be either 50 MHz as the sampling frequency or 20 ns
as the sampling time for simulation with the consideration of higher resolution,
which dramatically increases the burden of computation to achieve
high-speed simulation.
Based on a specific desktop computer, it takes 72 seconds to simulate the
100 ms operation of the study case, which is a 6 kW PV grid-tied system
including two PV strings and the two-stage power conversion.
It is difficult to adopt such simulation model to simulate a PV system in large
scale including multiple inverters for long-term analyses.

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Averaging technique for switching-mode DC/DC converters

In the design case, the DC/DC stage includes two boost converter that is
switched at 50 kHz.
The averaged model of each converter has been derived and expressed
Z
1
vpv = (ipv − iL )dt (1a)
Cin
Z
1
iL = [vpv − (1 − d)vo ]dt (1b)
L
The Simulink model can be constructed and shown

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Averaging technique for switching-mode DC/AC converters

Simulink blocks for the single-phase

In the DC/AC stage for single-phase grid AC section
connection, the switching is operated by the
H-bridge for AC current modulation.
The basic function is to produce the AC
current in phase with the grid current with the
controlled magnitude.
The AC filter is applied to reduce the
harmonics in order to keep the THD level Simulink blocks for the three-phase
lower than the upper limit. AC section
If the switching dynamics and the harmonics
are not the concern for the simulation study,
the Simulink model for both the H-bridge and
the AC filter can be simplified.
The same can be applied to the three-phase
AC system to simplify the simulation and the
representation for AC section.
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Simulation of 6kW sample system using averaged models

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Simulation response to the viration of irradiance and temperature difference

3000
One case study is created String 1 String 2

ppv (W)
2000
to simulate the impact on
the variation of solar 1000
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
irradiance. 400

vpv (V)
Both PV strings 350
String 1 String 2
experiences the 300
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
irradiance drop from 800 50

Current (A)
igrid Imag
W/m2 to 400 W/m2 at the 0
moment, 55 ms, while the
−50
cell temperature is 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
602
maintained to be 2 o C
vdc(V)

600
difference between the
two strings (28 ◦ for string 598
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
#1 and 30 ◦ for string Time (ms)

#2).
No switching ripple appearing in current and voltage

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Simulation response to the viration of irradiance and temperature difference

Zoom-in plot including both models’ output.

Switching ripple appears
in the waveforms of the 370

vpv (V)
PV link voltage, the grid
current, and the DC link 365 SW:string 1 AVG:string 1
voltage when switching 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64

model is applied. 368

vpv (V)
366
The averaged model is 364
362 SW:string 2 AVG:string 2
free from switching 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
operation, but catches the 20

Current (A)
SW: igrid AVG: igrid Imag
main. 0
High-frequency switching −20
in the PVSC and GSC 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
results in insignificant 602
SW model AVG model
vdc(V)

effect to the DC link due 600

to the high capacitance 598
46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
across. Time (ms)

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8-hour operation of grid-tied PV system using averaged model and ISDM

4000

ppv (W)
The simulation covers the 2000
String 1 String 2
system operation of 8 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
hours in a sunny day. 600

vpv (V)
String 1 String 2
Using the specific 400
200
computer, the total 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
50
simulation time is 12

Current (A)
minutes and 21 seconds. 0
The sampling frequency igrid Imag
−50
of the simulation is 5000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
pac(W)
assigned as 20 kHz,
which is sufficient to 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
capture the highest 602
vdc(V)

dynamics in the system 600

and allows simulation for 598
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
the 8-hour operation. Time (hour)

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Converter efficiency curve for practical systems

To match the practical system operation, the efficiency of the power

conversion can be included in the simulation. This can be adopted from
converter and inverter efficiency data.
The datasheet of PV inverters usually provides the efficiency curves
regarding to the percentage of the rated output power.

The efficiency also 97

depends on the voltage of 96.5

the PV link. 96

Efficiency (%)
95.5
The information can be
utilized in the simulation 95

model for a practical 94.5

approach to predict the 94

power generation in term 93.5 Input voltage: 360 V DC

Input voltage: 250 V DC
of the AC form. 93
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% of the rated power

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Simulation study for grid-tied system based on module integrated parallel inverters

The 6 kW grid-tied system can be constructed by 24 PV modules and 24

MIPIs, as discussed in the previous design.
Even though it is a small-scale system, simulating the system operation can
be very challenging due to the large number of switching-mode power units
and nonlinear nature of PV generators.
The MIPI system includes both the PV side converter (PVSC) and the grid
side converter (GSC).
A DC link is required in between the two conversion stages of DC/DC and
DC/AC.
A well-known converter to act as the PV side converter (PVSC) for DC/DC
conversion is the flyback topology showing the potential for supporting both
galvanic isolation and high conversion ratio of voltage.
The techniques for design, modeling,simulation, and control have been
introduced in Section 5.1.7, 6.3.7, and 7.8.5.

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Simulation study for grid-tied system based on module integrated parallel inverters

Based on the case study, the flyback converter is designed to be the PVSC.
Term Spec Design description
Rated DC input volt- 30.7 V The voltage is rated by corresponding to the
age MPP of HiS-M250RG PV module
Rated DC output 380 V This is common voltage level for DC link and
voltage DC microgrid systems
Switching frequency 200 kHz High switching frequency can minimize the con-
verter size
Transformer winding 1:12 The ratio is selected to support the high conver-
turn ratio sion ratio from 30.7 to 380V
Transformer mag- 39 µ H The inductance is rated by the inductor current
netic inductance ripple rating of 2A and the switching frequency.
PV link capacitance 100 µ F The capacitance is rated for the PV link voltage
ripple of 0.2 V
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Simulation study for grid-tied system based on module integrated parallel inverters

 
diL 1 (1 − d)Vo
= dvpv − (2a)
Through the averaging technique, the dt L n
averaged value of continuous signals dvpv 1
 
can be used to form the dynamic model = [ipv − diL (2b)
dt Cin
for the PV link voltage (vpv ) and the
inductor current (iL ), as expressed as Output voltage, Vo , is considered as a
constant for the study of DC/DC stage.

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Simulation comparison between the switching model and the averaged model

31.5
Setpoint
vpv (V)
SW
AVG
31

34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48

8.1
ipv (A)

8.05
8 SW
7.95 AVG
34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48

250.2
ppv (W)

250 SW
AVG
249.8
34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
Time (ms)

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Single MIPI simulation unit for single-phase AC grid-tied PV system

Power train is formed by the blocks of the PV module, the flyback converter as
the DC/DC stage, the DC link as the energy buffer, the AC stage for the
DC/AC conversion.
Control functions include the MPPT, the PV link voltage regulation, and the
DC link voltage regulation.

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Simulation of the 6 kW system formed by 24 MIPIs

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Simulation of MIPI system dealing with mismatch condition

1
Ee (kW/m2)
0 igrid (A)
−1
150 200 250 300 350 400 450

1
Ee (kW/m2)
0 igrid (A)
−1
150 200 250 300 350 400 450

1
Ee (kW/m2)
0 i (A)
grid
−1
150 200 250 300 350 400 450

1
Ee (kW/m2)
0 igrid (A)
−1
150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Time (ms)

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Summary

Simulation is developed to include all required components to form a grid-tied

PV system.
Techniques are introduced to simulate the grid-tied system for the purpose of
either in-details or fast simulation speed.
In two-stage conversion systems, DC/DC section is operated by the MPPT
and PV link voltage regulation, which are implemented by the HC algorithm
and the PID controller, respectively.
The DC/AC section is controlled to maintain the DC link voltage and modulate
the AC grid current to be in phase with the grid voltage and low in harmonics.
The control system is formed by the techniques of feedforward, feedback, and
bangbang controllers.
The simplified PV model and the averaging technique allows to simulate the
long term operation and demonstrate the essential system dynamics, which is
powerful to simulate the distributed power generation with significant number
of power source and converters.
It is always recommended to define the simulation objective and try to use
simulation model as simple as possible to avoid any unnecessary
complication.
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