Showing papers on "Photovoltaic system published in 1998"

Implementation of a DSP-controlled photovoltaic system with peak power tracking

Abstract: Photovoltaic systems normally use a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique to continuously deliver the highest possible power to the load when variations in the insulation and temperature occur. It overcomes the problem of mismatch between the solar arrays and the given load. A simple method of tracking the maximum power points (MPPs) and forcing the system to operate close to these points is presented. The principle of energy conservation is used to derive the large- and small-signal model and transfer function. By using the proposed model, the drawbacks of the state-space-averaging method can be overcome. The TI320C25 digital signal processor (DSP) was used to implement the proposed MPPT controller, which controls the DC/DC converter in the photovoltaic system. Simulations and experimental results show excellent performance.

Generation unit sizing and cost analysis for stand-alone wind, photovoltaic, and hybrid wind/PV systems

Abstract: This paper presents the results of investigations on the application of wind, photovoltaic (PV), and hybrid wind/PV power generating systems for utilization as stand-alone systems. A simple numerical algorithm has been developed for generation unit sizing. It has been used to determine the optimum generation capacity and storage needed for a stand-alone, wind, PV, and hybrid wind/PV system for an experimental site in a remote area in Montana with a typical residential load. Generation and storage units for each system are properly sized in order to meet the annual load and minimize the total annual cost to the customer. In addition, an economic analysis has been performed for the above three scenarios and is used to justify the use of renewable energy versus constructing a line extension from the nearest existing power line to supply the load with conventional power. Annual average hourly values for load, wind speed, and insolation have been used.

Multilevel converters for single-phase grid connected photovoltaic systems-an overview

Abstract: Multilevel voltage source inverters offer several advantages compared to their conventional counterparts. By synthesising the AC output terminal voltage from several levels of voltages, staircase waveforms can be produced, which approach the sinusoidal waveform with low harmonic distortion, thus reducing filter requirements. The need of several sources on the DC side of the converter makes multilevel technology attractive for photovoltaic applications. This paper provides an overview an different multilevel topologies and investigates their suitability for single-phase grid connected photovoltaic systems. Several transformerless photovoltaic systems incorporating multilevel converters are compared regarding issues such as component count and stress, system power rating and the influence of the photovoltaic array earth capacitance.

Residential photovoltaic energy storage system

Abstract: This paper introduces a residential photovoltaic (PV) energy storage system, in which the PV power is controlled by a DC-DC power converter and transferred to a small battery energy storage system (BESS). For managing the power, a pattern of daily operation considering the load characteristic of the homeowner, the generation characteristic of the PV power, and the power-leveling demand of the electric utility is prescribed. The system looks up the pattern to select the operation mode, so that powers from the PV array, the batteries and the utility are utilized in a cost-effective manner. As for the control of the system, a novel control technique for the maximum power-point tracking (MPPT) of the PV array is proposed, in which the state-averaged model of the DC-DC power converter, including the dynamic model of the PV array, is derived. Accordingly, a high-performance discrete MPPT controller that tracks the maximum power point with zero-slope regulation and current-mode control is presented. With proposed arrangements on the control of the BESS and the current-to-power scaling factor setting, the DC-DC power converter is capable of combining with the BESS for performing the functions of power conditioning and active power filtering. An experimental 600 W system is implemented, and some simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system.

Study of maximum power tracking techniques and control of DC/DC converters for photovoltaic power system

Abstract: As the electric power supplied by solar arrays depends on the insolation, temperature and array voltage, it is necessary to control the operating points to draw the maximum power of the solar array. The object of this paper is to investigate the maximum power tracking algorithms which were often used to compare the tracking efficiencies for the system operating under different controls. Besides, different type DC/DC converters were designed to evaluate the converter performance. A simple method which combines a discrete time control and a PI compensator is used to track the maximum power points (MPPs) of the solar array. The implementation of the proposed converter system was based on a digital signal processor (DSP) and the experimental results are presented.

Comparative study of peak power tracking techniques for solar storage system

Abstract: As the power supplied by solar arrays depends upon the insolation, temperature and array voltage, it is necessary to control the operating points to draw the maximum power of the solar array. The object of this paper is to investigate the maximum power tracking algorithms which were often used to compare the tracking efficiencies for the system operating under different controls. A simple method which combines a discrete time control and a PI compensator is used to track the maximum power points (MPPs) of the solar array. The implementation of the proposed converter system was based on a digital signal processor (DSP). The experimental tests were carried out, the tracking efficiencies are confirmed by simulations and experimental results.

Two-loop controller for maximizing performance of a grid-connected photovoltaic-fuel cell hybrid power plant

Abstract: Maximizing performance of a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV)-fuel cell hybrid system by use of a two-loop controller is discussed. One loop is a neural network controller for maximum power point tracking, which extracts maximum available solar power from PV arrays under varying conditions of insolation, temperature, and system load. A real/reactive power controller (RRPC) is the other loop. The RRPC achieves the system's requirements for real and reactive powers by controlling incoming fuel to fuel cell stacks as well as switching control signals to a power conditioning subsystem. Results of time-domain simulations prove not only the effectiveness of the proposed computer models of the two-loop controller but also its applicability for use in stability analysis of the hybrid power plant.

A study on optimal sizing of stand-alone photovoltaic stations

Abstract: One major application of photovoltaic (PV) power has been in remote areas as isolated small power generation for essential electric power. This paper discusses issues in optimizing the use of such stations and presents a procedure to evaluate different PV schemes considering the stochastic natures of the insolation and the load. The reliability measures in terms of loss of load hours (LOLH), the energy loss and the total cost have been used as the indices for evaluation of different schemes. The insolation and the load demand are modeled as stochastic variables using historical data and experimentation respectively. The operation of various stand-alone schemes are simulated for a specific load. Actual commercially available panel and battery sizes with actual costs have been used in the various configurations studied. The long run expected values of the performance indices for various configurations of the solar station have been measured. Comparative analysis of the results show that higher cost not necessarily translates into better performance. The panel size and the battery size have different impacts on the indices of performance, and a proper balance between the two is necessary to optimize the operation of a stand-alone PV scheme.

Control strategy for grid-connected DC-AC converters with load power factor correction

Abstract: The paper presents the modelling, analysis and design of a pulse width modulation voltage source inverter (PWM-VSI) to be connected between a DC source, which is supplied from a photovoltaic (PV) array and the AC grid. The control algorithm of the PWM-VSI applies the concepts of the instantaneous p-q (real-imaginary) power theory. The objective is to show that, with an adequate control, the converter can transfer the DC energy from PV array and improve the power factor (and the power quality) of the electrical system. Some design considerations are also discussed. A digital simulation and measurements on a small prototype model verified the feasibility of the proposed control method.

Energy pay‐back time and life‐cycle CO2 emission of residential PV power system with silicon PV module

Abstract: The concerns about environmental impacts of photovoltaic (PV) power systems are growing with the increasing expectation of PV technologies. In this paper, three kinds of silicon-based PV modules, namely single-crystalline silicon (c-Si), polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) and amorphous silicon (a-Si) PV modules, are evaluated from the viewpoint of their life-cycle. For the c-Si PV module it was assumed that off-grade silicon from semiconductor industries is used with existing production technologies. On the other hand, new technologies and the growth of production scale were presumed with respect to the poly-Si and a-Si PV modules. Our results show that c-Si PV modules have a shorter energy pay-back time than their expected lifetime and lower CO2 emission than the average CO2 emission calculated from the recent energy mix in Japan, even with present technologies. Furthermore the poly-Si and the a-Si PV modules with the near-future technologies give much reduction in energy pay-back times and CO2 emissions compared with the present c-Si PV modules. The reduction of glass use and the frameless design of the PV module may be effective means to decrease them more, although the lifetime of the PV module must be taken into account. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Solar array system

Abstract: A solar array system is described having a solar array (31) divided into sections (33, 35, 37, 39) connected by switches (43, 45, 47, 49) to an output bus (51). The switches can be opened and closed so the system operates at its maximum power point. The system can be used, for example, to power satellites.

Novel solar cell power supply system using the multiple-input DC-DC converter

Abstract: Recently, clean electric power generation systems have attracted a great deal of social attention to exploit clean energy resources such as solar arrays, wind generators, fuel cells, etc. In this case, the multiple-input DC-DC power converter is useful to combine the several input power sources and to supply the regulated output voltage for the load. The novel solar cell power supply system using the buck-boost type two-input DC-DC converter is proposed, in which the solar array and the commercial AC line are exploited as power sources and they are combined by the two input windings of the energy-storage reactor. Also, its operation principle and performance characteristics are discussed. Furthermore, the solar cell optimum operating point tracker is proposed and examined. It is confirmed by the experiment that the proposed solar cell power supply system has the excellent performance characteristics.

A fuzzy logic based photovoltaic peak power tracking control

Abstract: This paper describes the analysis, modeling and implementation of a fuzzy based photovoltaic peak power tracking system. The maximum power of a photovoltaic system changes with temperature, solar intensity and load. An analytical model is built for the solar cell on the basis of the manufacturer characteristics. The solar panel is integrated with the converter model and a fuzzy algorithm is developed so as to perform an on-line search procedure to track the maximum power continuously. The system is implemented by an inexpensive RISC microcontroller. Experimental results have shown excellent performance, robustness with parameter variation, modularity for parallel operation at higher power, and ready to retrofit existing installations.

Life‐cycle assessment of photovoltaic systems: results of Swiss studies on energy chains

Abstract: The methodology used and results obtained for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) plants in recent Swiss life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies on current and future energy systems are discussed. Mono- and polycrystalline silicon cell technologies utilized in current panels as well as monocrystalline and amorphous cells for future applications were analysed for Swiss conditions. The environmental inventories of slanted-roof solar panels and large plants are presented. Greenhouse gas emissions from present and future electricity systems are compared. The high electricity requirements for manufacturing determine most of the environmental burdens associated with current photovoltaics. However, due to increasing efficiency of production processes and cells, the environmental performance of PV systems is likely to improve substantially in the future. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Energy requirements of thin-film solar cell modules—a review

Abstract: In this paper a number of energy analysis studies for thin-film solar cell modules are compared and reviewed. We start with a short introduction into methodological issues related to energy analysis (of PV systems) such as system boundary definition, treatment of different (secondary) energy types and the choice of functional unit. Subsequently we review results from 6 studies on a-Si modules and 3 studies on CdTe modules. The aim is to present results in a unified format, compare them and try to clarify observed differences. Although significant differences were found, many of these differences could be explained by the choice of materials for the module encapsulation. For categories with large observed differences, like indirect process energy and capital equipment energy, we performed additional analyses in order to gain a better understanding of these aspects. Finally we present best estimates of the energy requirement for present-day a-Si and CdTe thin film modules which are between 600 and 1500 MJ (primary energy) per m fn3 module area, depending on cell and encapsulation type. This means that the energy pay-back time is below two years for a grid-connected module under 1700 kWh⧹m2⧹yr irradiation. In the near future an energy pay-back time below one year seems feasible.

Simplified life-cycle analysis of PV systems in buildings: present situation and future trends

Abstract: The integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems in buildings shows several advantages compared to conventional PV power plants. The main objectives of the present study are the quantitative evaluation of the benefits of building-integrated PV systems over their entire life-cycle and the identification of best solutions to maximize their energy efficiency and CO2 mitigation potential. In order to achieve these objectives, a simplified life-cycle analysis (LCA) has been carried out. Firstly, a number of existing applications have been studied. Secondly, a parametric analysis of possible improvements in the balance-of-system (BOS) has been developed. Finally, the two steps have been combined with the analysis of crystalline silicon technologies. Results are reported in terms of several indicators: energy pay-back time, CO2 yield and specific CO2 emissions. The indicators show that the integration of PV systems in buildings clearly increases the environmental benefits of present PV technology. These benefits will further increase with future PV technologies. Future optimized PV roof-integrated systems are expected to have an energy pay-back time of around 1·5 years (1 year with heat recovery) and to save during their lifetime more than 20 times the amount of CO2 emitted during their manufacturing (34 times with heat recovery). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Optimal control of a grid-connected PV system for maximum power point tracking and unity power factor

Abstract: The paper discusses a model-based method to predict the maximum power point (MPP) of a PV array using the measured data of radiation and temperature. The proposed method can be embedded in a synchronous rotating reference frame (SRRF) current regulator. This ensures good performance voltage control and unity power factor current supply to the grid. A simulation study of the proposed control scheme has been carried out, and the results are presented in the paper.

Method and apparatus for improved solar concentration arrays

Abstract: A lightweight photovoltaic concentrator is disclosed. The concentrator comprises at least two sections each comprising a cell panel, a radiator panel and a reflector panel. In one embodiment, the concentrator system of the present invention comprises at least two hinged sections each comprising a solar cell panel, a flat radiator panel, and a curved reflective concentrator panel. The solar cell panel comprises at least one photovoltaic cell for generating electrical power in response to radiation. The solar cell panel is aligned with the radiator panel at an angle less than 180 degrees but not less than 90 degrees facing the reflective concentrator panel. In another embodiment, the cell panels on adjoining sections are angled in opposite directions with respect to the radiator panels and wherein the reflective concentrator panels are located on opposite sides of the radiator panels. A heat pipe or loop heat pipe is located in the radiator panel to dissipate heat from the solar cells.

Life‐cycle air emissions from PV power systems

Abstract: This paper addresses the air emissions of grid supply versus grid-connected and off-grid photovoltaic power generation, using the framework of life-cycle assessment, in the context of rural household energy supply in Australia. Emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides are calculated for the three life-cycle stages of manufacture, use and disposal. Sensitivities to materials and data inputs, as well as to component efficiencies, lifetimes and sizing are discussed. For each supply option, demand management options, including insulation and appliance choice, and the substitution of solar heating or bottled gas for electricity, are considered. The best option in all cases, in terms of life-cycle air emissions, is a grid-connected photovoltaic system used to supply an energy-efficient household with a mix of solar, gas and electric appliances. However, in financial terms, with current Australian energy prices, this option represents a high capital and life-cycle cost. Additionally, for the grid options, electricity costs do not significantly disadvantage the high demand scenarios. Both results provide a clear illustration of current Australian energy-pricing policies being in conflict with long-term environmental sustainability. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.