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Transformerless Three-Phase Solar Photovoltaic Power Conversion Systems 

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Advances in Control Techniques for Smart Grid Applications

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Abstract

Solar photovoltaic (SPV) energy is one of the promising and dominant renewable energy sources for clean and sustainable electricity production. Typically, a power conditioning unit (PCU) along with a low-frequency transformer on the AC side is utilized to integrate the photovoltaic (PV) source with the grid. However, they offer low efficiency, high cost, and low power density. Transformerless inverters gained more attention in grid-connected PV systems due to demands of power density, high efficiency, reliability, and low cost. However, leakage current is produced through the stray capacitances between the PV array and the ground. It is generated due to the fluctuation of common-mode voltages between PV neutral and grid. Also, it enhances DC injection into the grid due to the absence of galvanic isolation. Consequently, it causes fundamental safety problems and the degradation of the system’s performance. This chapter aims to study and compare leakage current minimization approaches through converter topology modifications and pulse width modulation schemes in transformerless PV systems. The key performance of each inverter topology in terms of leakage current is holistically evaluated through simulation studies in MATLAB software. Finally, the merits and demerits of each power converter topology for transformerless solar systems are summarized in this chapter.

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Abbreviations

P :

Power (W)

D :

Diode

S :

Switching device

L :

Inductor (mH)

I PV :

PV array output current (A)

V PV :

PV array output voltage (V)

C pv :

Stray capacitance of PV panel (μF)

V dc :

Input DC voltage (V)

Van, Vbn, Vcn:

Phase voltages of converter (V)

n :

Neutral point

a, b, c :

Terminals of a 3-phase system

V 0 to V 7 :

State vectors

I leakage :

Leakage current (A)

V CM :

Common-mode voltage (V)

R g :

Ground resistance (Ω

PV:

Photovoltaic

PCU:

Power conditioning unit

PVS:

Photovoltaic systems

IEA:

International Energy Agency

PVES:

Photovoltaic energy systems

Hz:

Hertz

LFT:

Low-frequency transformer

HFT:

High-frequency transformer

kWh:

Kilowatt hour

THDs:

Total harmonic distortions

EMI:

Electromagnetic interference

CMV:

Common-mode voltage

DC:

Direct current

MPPT:

Maximum power point tracking

CI:

Central inverter

SI:

String inverter

PWM:

Pulse width modulation

UPS:

Uninterrupted power supply

RMS:

Root mean square

AC:

Alternating current

kHz:

Kilo Hertz

IGBTs:

Insulated gate bipolar transistors

V:

Volt

kW:

Kilo watt

GW:

Giga watt

VSI:

Voltage source inverter

CSI:

Current source inverter

MPPT:

Maximum power point tracker

MPP:

Maximum power point

I-V:

Current versus voltage

P-V:

Power versus voltage

A:

Ampere

s:

Seconds

MOSFET:

Metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor

W:

Watt

LC:

Inductor-capacitor

SPWM:

Sine pulse width modulation

SVM:

Space vector modulation

NSPWM:

Near-state PWM

AZPWM:

Active zero state PWM

RSPWM:

Remote state PWM

MSVPWM:

Multilevel space vector pulse width modulation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, India

    Deepak Ronanki & Harish Karneddi

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  1. Deepak Ronanki
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  2. Harish Karneddi
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Correspondence to Deepak Ronanki .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

    Sajal Kumar Das

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Md. Rabiul Islam

  3. School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China

    Wei Xu

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Ronanki, D., Karneddi, H. (2022). Transformerless Three-Phase Solar Photovoltaic Power Conversion Systems . In: Das, S.K., Islam, M.R., Xu, W. (eds) Advances in Control Techniques for Smart Grid Applications. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9856-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9856-9_9

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