Research on input current ripple reduction of two-stage single-phase

PV grid inverter

Lyu Jianguo, Hu Wenbin, Yao Kai, Lu Xiaoyu, Wu Fuyun, Wu Junji.

NANJING UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
No. 200 Xiao Lingwei
Nanjing, China
Tel.: +86/ (025) - 84303360
Fax: +86/ (025) - 84303113
E-Mail: 13851761141@163.com hwb_njust@163.com ericyao1980@163.com
534411488@qq.com wufuyun0606@163.com wjj807@126.com
URL: http:// www.njust.edu.cn

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the national natural science foundation of China (51307085), natural science
foundation of Jiangsu province (BK2012400), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2012M521087),
Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Jiangsu province (1202068C), Science and Technology Support Program
of Jiangsu Province (BE2013125), Innovation Foundation of Science and Technology Department of Jiangsu
Province(BY2013004-03, BY2013004-01)

Keywords

« photovoltaic», «converter control»

Abstract

Due to the instantaneous input and output power unbalance in two-stage single-phase photovoltaic(PV) grid
inverter, its front-end Boost converter tends to draw a current ripple with double grid frequency. In this paper,
the low frequency current ripple reduction method is proposed, based on a duty ratio compensation model to
control duty ratio of the boost converter without any extra cost. The duty ratio compensation model is built
and derived, which is verified in SABER environment. The simulation proves that the duty ratio
compensation method can effectively reduce and even eliminate the low frequency input current ripple in
two-stage single-phase PV grid inverter.

1. Introduction

Solar is a clean and renewable energy, which is an effective way to resolve global climate warming,
environmental pollution and fossil fuel exhaustion. Besides, solar possess extremely development represents
a new generation of energy [ll.

The two-stage single-phase photovoltaic grid inverter, namely the PV grid inverter in this paper, converts the
direct current(DC) to the alternating current(AC), and realizes the operation of PV grid-connection. The PV
grid inverter has two basic functions: one is to convert PV power to AC power, which is connected to the
power grid, and the second is to realize Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT).
Though reducing the input current ripple, the power decoupling circuit[2][3] would make the system perform
many port features, and its control circuits are more complex; The interleaved boost converter [4] achieves the
low or zero input current ripples by adjusting the conduction sequence and switching frequency. However, it
leads to the bigger switching loss, and even requires for high requirements for its control circuit. The average
current control mode, as pointed out by [5], is more effective than voltage control mode and open loop
control methods. However, its mathematical model is extremely complex, and it is hard to satisfy higher
requirements for dynamic in the real systems.
Reference [6] and [7] both proposed the duty ratio compensation method based on the single phase
interleaved boost converter. But it has some disadvantages such as the complex circuit structure, the high
energy consumption and the high cost.
In this paper, the low frequency ripple current reduction method is proposed, low frequency input current
ripple can be effectively reduced by the duty ratio compensation method. The scheme only needs to derive
mathematical model of the main power circuit, and also the its control circuit is simple, easy to be realized.

2. PV system basic configuration

+
Boost DC/AC
PV Vl'V converter inverter

Fig.1 Main power circuit

Fig 1 shows that the main power circuit of the PV grid inverter, which consists the PV panel, Boost converter,

bus capacitor CR' DCIAC inverter and power grid voltage Vii. As seem from Fig 1, the bus capacitor CR can

effectively realize the balance between the constant input power and output power. In order to simplify the
model, the paper assumes that all devices are all ideal.

The power grid vo Itage v g (t) is defined as

(\)

Where Vg is power grid voltage amplitude value, OJ is grid angular frequency.

When output power factor is 1, output current of PV grid inverter ig (t) is expressed as

(2)

Where Ig is output current amplitude value of PV grid inverter (output current is supplied into power grid).
From (1) and (2), the instantaneous power PIi (t) , supplied into power grid, is expressed as

(3)

Form (3), the instantaneous output power is pulsating, which varies at twice the grid frequency, and its
amplitude is VI/g.
In a grid cycle, the output average power Pg is
 P -
1 iff Pg (t)dOJt
1
-
iff VJg sin
2
OJtdOJt
VJ
� (4)
.
I{ 7r 7r
= = =
0
0
2
Normally, under the MPPT control, the duty ratio D of the Boost converSter remains a constant value in a
grid cycle. The relationship between the Vdc and vpv of Boost converter is expressed as

(5)

Where vde is the output voltage of the Boost converter (the dc bus voltage), and vPV is the input voltage of
the Boost converter (the output voltage of the PV panel).
The dc bus voltage Vdc can be obtained as follows:
VI'V
Vde =-­
(6)
I-D
The output power of the PV panel is

(7)

Where ipv is the input current of the Boost converter (the output current of the PV panel).
The power of the dc bus capacitor Pc R (t) is expressed as:

(8)

The instantaneous energy of the dc bus capacitor ec (t) is expressed as:

R

it Pc it Pc
1 1
Ec CBVd'c +
2 2
ecII (t) =
-

2 CBVdC · =
B
(o)t- O B
(t)dt �
2
-
·
O B
(t)dt (9)

Where EcB (0) is the stored energy on the dc bus capacitor at the zero point time, and Vde is average voltage of

the dc bus capacitor.

From (6), (8) and (9),

(10)

Where CB' D, Vdc' Pg are constant values, and the dc bus voltage can be obtained from (6).

3. Low frequency input ripple current reduction control method

To decrease the input current ripple value of the PV grid inverter, it should operate at the maximum power
point(MPP). The average input power Ppv is equal to the average output power PI{' which is expressed as

(11)

v
Fig 2 shows, when the output power factor is 1, the waveforms of the output voltage g and current ig , the
instantaneous input power Ppv and output power Pg , the dc bus voltage v de and input current ipv .
In low and middle power area, the input power maintains a constant value and the output power has a low
frequency ripple value, which varies at twice the grid frequency, it needs energy storage capacitor to balance
instantaneous input power and the output power. In Fig.2, when the instantaneous input power Ppv is less
than the output power Pg , the bus capacitor CR is discharging; when the instantaneous input power Ppv is
greater than the output power Pg , the bus capacitor CB is charging. The dc bus voltage v de is with double
grid frequency ripple. Besides, in the single-phase two-stage type PV grid inverter, the MPPT control of
Boost converter and the control of DCIAC inverter are independent, so the input voltage of Boost converter
is with a double grid frequency ripple. For the MPPT control, the power is constant, so the input current of
Boost converter is also with a double grid frequency ripple.

o 118 114 3/8 112 5/8 3/4 7/8 tlThne

v
Fig.2 Waveforms of the output voltage g and current ig , the instantaneous input power Ppv and output
power Pg , the dc bus voltage v de and input current ipv when the output power factor is 1
The power Pc R (t) on the dc bus capacitor can be obtained as follows:

(12)

According to the relationship between the dc bus voltage Vdc and the dc bus capacitor energy storage, the
transient energy of the dc bus capacitor ecB (t) is expressed as

1 2

ec,JJ (t)=-CRVdc =Ec,

2 'il
(o)t- it
O
Pc' (t)dt
'il

(13)

And then

Pg Pg
vic + - - sin 2wt = Vdc 1+ 2 sin 2wt (14)
wCR wCR Vdc

By the relationship between the input voltage and output voltage of the Boost converter, the duty ratio d is
 (15)

And the relationship, between the dc bus capacitor CB' the average dc bus voltage Vdc and the peak-to-peak

voltage of the bus capacitor f'l. Vdc ,is expressed as

(16)

Then,the duty ratio dis

(17)

Where,

Vpv
D = 1- (18)
MPPT
V de

(19)

The equation (18) shows the duty ratio DMPPT when the system works at MPP. The duty ratio dripp!e is the
duty ratio compensation .From (18) and (19), a method can be obtained which decreases the input current
ripple of the PV grid inverter.
Fig.3 shows the control block diagram of the Boost converter with PWM control .The instantaneous input
voltagevpv' the instantaneous input current ipv and the instantaneous dc bus voltagevdc are the inputs of
the low pass filter, and the average input voltage Vpv and average input current In are obtained from the
outputs of the low pass filter. Vpv ' Ipv are the inputs of the MPPT controller, and the duty ratio DMPPT is
calculated by the MPPT controller. The double grid frequency ripple value L1 Vdc sin 2mt is obtained from
the output of the band pass filter. The double grid frequency ripple value f'l. Vdc sin 2mt ,the average dc bus
voltage Vdc and the average input voltage Vpv ,are the inputs of the compensator, which calculates the duty
ratio compensation driPple .The final duty ratio d is obtained by adding the duty ratio DMPPT and the duty
ratio compensation driPple .By comparing the final duty ratio d with the triangular wave , the PWM signal
of the Boost converter is obtained and the system works in the expected working condition, which reduces or
even eliminates the input current ripple of the Boost inverter.
 irv

Fig.3 Block diagram of the Boost converter with PWM control

The DCIAC inverter is controlled by voltage current dual-loop feedback compensator[9][I01. FigA shows the
control block diagram of the DCIAC inverter with SPWM control. The instantaneous dc bus voltagevdc and
its reference vde re! are the inputs of the PI control, the output error signal is used as the reference amplitude of
the output current igre! . igret is obtained through multiplying igret by the per unit transient output voltagevg.
igand its reference igret are both the inputs of the PI control, its output error signal is obtained. By
comparing the error signal with the triangular wave, the SPWM signal of the DCIAC inverter is obtained.
The PWM control of the Boost converter and the SPWM control of the DCIAC inverter are both realized by
digital way ,which also includes MPPT and the duty ratio compensation.
VgS in20J til Vgl

Vdcre!

FigA Block diagram of the DCIAC inverter with SPWM control

4. Simulation Verification

Recently, The experiment is going on in the lab ,so the experimental results will be carried out soon. In order
to verify the proposed method, a prototype has been built. The specifications of the prototype are as follows:

1) PV open circuit voltage : Voe = 226.5V

2) PV short circuit current: lIe = 11.08A

3) PV MPPT voltage: Vm = 189.5V
4) average dc bus voltage Vdc = 385V
5) output voltage(rms): Vg = 220V

6) output power: Pg = 2kW

7) switching frequency: I, = 20kHz

8) boost inductor: � = 4mH

9) input filter capacitor: Cin = 11OuF

10) bus capacitor: Cdc = 1500uF
11) output filter capacitor: C o = 3.3uF
12) output filter inductor: La = 6mH
Fig.5 shows that the output voltagevpv , input current ipv , and the dc bus voltage Vde waveforms of PV grid

inverter with traditional controller.

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. 325 02
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Fig.5 Simulation results of PV grid inverter with traditional controller

Fig.6 shows that the output voltage v pv' input current ipv' and the dc bus voltage vde waveforms of PV grid

inverter adding a ripple compensation duty ratio to the control duty ratio of the front-end boost converter.

tis)

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Fig.6 Simulation results of PV grid inverter with proposed controller

From Fig 5 and Fig 6, the frequency of input current ripple and input voltage ripple is 100Hz. Compared
with Fig 5 and Fig 6, the amplitude of input current ripple is varying from l.3A to OA, and the amplitude of
input voltage ripple is varying from 5.8V to Ov. As seen, with adding a ripple cancellation duty ratio to the
control duty ratio of the Boost converter, namely the duty ratio compensation, the amplitudes of input current
ripple and input voltage ripple is lower than the method without the proposed controller.

5. Conclusion

This paper studies the cause of the input current ripple in the PV grid inverter, and the duty ratio
compensation model of the Boost converter is established. Finally, the simulation proves that the duty ratio
compensation model can effectively reduce and even eliminate the low frequency input current ripple in the
PV grid inverter. As seen from the simulation results, the duty ratio compensation can effectively reduce or
even eliminate the input current ripple. The method is simple, effective and easy to be controlled and
implemented in digital way.
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