MEE 1038 – Solar Photovoltaic

Systems Design

INVERTER for PV
applications
 Inverter
• Converts DC input into AC output
• Select an inverter that allows higher input voltages
– to reduce I2R losses (between battery bank & inverter)
• Inverter selection is based on:
– Type of output waveform
• square, sine, modified sine, PWM
– Rated power output (capacity)
– Surge capacity
• 150% and higher for a shorter duration
– Efficiency
• <83% (low), 83-91% (optimal, medium cost), >91% (costlier)
– Harmonic distortion
• Should be low to avoid heating
Inverters
 Block diagram :

Low voltage DC High voltage AC

• Types of Inverter output waveforms:

➢ square wave
➢ modified square/sine wave
➢ pure sine wave
➢ Pulsed width modulation
• Accomplished in two steps:
➢ Low voltage DC to high voltage DC (using a chopper circuit)
➢ High Voltage DC to AC
 Type of inverter outputs

Modified sine wave – Cheaper , but output may damage laptop

and computer loads, digital clocks.
Pure sine wave - Costlier, can operate even for sensitive
loads.
fast, quiet and low harmonic distortion.
 PWM (Pulse Width Modulated)
Inverters
• Variation of duty cycle in PWM provide DC
voltage across load in a specific pattern as a
AC signal. (high efficiency of 96%)
 Type of inverters

• Stand alone inverter

• Grid/ Utility interactive inverters
• Bimodal inverter
Stand alone inverter (50W to 50kW)
 Bimodal type inverters
(700W to 500kW)

Acts as Stand-alone and also as Grid-tie inverter

 Grid/
Utility
inverter
 Grid inverters
Types:
➢ Central inverters
➢ String inverters
➢ Module integrated inverters
Central inverters
➢ Central inverter combines dozens
of strings into one input and one
MPP tracker
➢ Parallel strings connected to a
single inverter – limits MPPT’s
efficiency
➢ Lower (Rs.)/Watt cost
➢ Used in PV plants >100 kWp to
MW range
➢ Power losses in strings due to
module mismatch and common
MPPT
➢ Losses in string diodes
➢ Reliability of system depends on
one inverter
String Inverters
➢ DC from each string is
connected into an inverter
➢ Any problem with one
panel of a string affects
the output of a string
➢ Separate MPPT for each
string, so better yield
➢ Higher reliability than
central inverter
➢ Lower initial cost per peak
Watt price
 Module integrated inverters (AC Modules)
➢ Each module has its own inverter fixed on its back
➢ No module mismatch losses
➢ Maximum power production since each module has its own MPPT
➢ Low overall efficiency
➢ High installation, maintenance and performance monitoring cost (30%
more than central inverters)
➢ Eliminate DC wiring, high Voltage DC switch boxes & protection circuits,
housing facilities
➢ Used where the array sizes are small (residential markets)
➢ Different individual module orientations possible
Central (3.5 kW) & Micro Inverter (210 W)
Multi string inverters
➢ Each string has an
independent DC-DC
converter
➢ Common in use
➢ Relatively high efficient
➢ No string losses
= ➢ Single MPP tracking

=
Voltage Levels of Electrical Grid
What is grid synchronization?
Checks!!!!
Voltage ?
Frequency?
Phase?
 Requirements of Grid Inverter
1. Voltage disturbances:
Voltage at inverter output < 5% of the voltage at the
point of utility connection

Disconnection time
10 cycles if the utility voltage either drops below 50% of
its nominal value or increases above 110% of its nominal
value.

If the utility line voltage is between 50% and 92% of its

nominal value, the inverter should shut down within two
seconds.
2. Frequency disturbances:
If, at 50 Hz systems, the line frequency falls below
49.5 Hz or goes above 50.2 Hz, the inverter should
be disconnected, within 5 cycles.
3. Power factor :
The power factor should not be lower than 0.85
4. Other concerns :
➢ DC current injection < 0.5%
➢ Islanding protection
➢ Reconnecting and restoration after failure
➢ Grounding and surge protection

Ref: Chapter 3: Solar Electric power generation, Photovoltaic Energy sytems; Stefan Krauter
• Since maximum efficiency may be achieved near rated output,
it is important to consider the efficiency vs. output power
curve for the inverter when selecting the inverter
• Certain loads have significant starting currents, so
it is important to provide adequate surge current
capacity in the inverter to meet the load surge
requirements
• Other loads will either overheat or introduce
unwanted noise if the harmonic distortion of their
power supply is not below a specific level
 Inverter Types

Cost Lowest Costlier Costlier Costliest

than than
square Modified
wave sine wave
• Square wave inverter is the least expensive and is
relatively efficient, but has limitations on its
applications. It has the best surge capacity but the
highest harmonic distortion
• The modified sine inverter is more complicated,
but still relatively efficient
• The pulse width modulated (PWM) inverter has
higher cost, high efficiency and minimal distortion
• The pure sine inverter has the least distortion, but
costlier
• PWM inverters are particularly useful when used
as AC motor controllers since the speed of an AC
motor can be controlled by adjustment of the
frequency of the motor excitation
• For a number of applications, a square wave is
inadequate for meeting the harmonic distortion
requirements of the load, resulting in overheat of
some motors or fluorescent ballasts.
• Square wave harmonics can also introduce noise
into a system. Thus, before selecting an inverter, it
is important to verify that the proposed load will
operate with square wave excitation
• If square wave excitation is not suitable for a load,
it is possible that a modified sine wave will work