Grupo de Sistemas Electrónicos Industriales
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Transformerless topologies for grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic inverters
[EN] In order to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of a photovoltaic system, the use of transformerless photovoltaic inverters is an alternative of increasing interest. However, this topology needs to be studied in detail, as it presents some problems related to the galvanic connection between the grid and the photovoltaic generator (e.g. efficiency degradation and safety problems). In this paper, a review of grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic inverters based on transformerless topologies has been carried out. On the one hand, some alternatives based on classical topologies have been presented. On the other hand, alternatives based on multi-level inverter topologies have been studied, showing up that no leakage current is generated in comparison to classical topologies. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
Concepción e integración en microrredes residenciales de inversores multinivel sin transformador de aislamiento con extracción simultánea de la máxima potencia de múltiples generadores fotovoltaicos
[EN] Multilevel inverters are being used in high-power applications, but the use of those topologies in small-power photovoltaic power plants presents some advantages. In this Thesis it is proposed a transformerless grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic inverter topology, called NPC+GCC, based on a multilevel topology. The characteristics of the NPC+GCC are of great interest for grid-connected transformerless inverters. It is demonstrated that that topology generates a very low capacitive leakage current, which is well below the limits stablished by the DIN VDE 0123-1-1 norm. The NPC+GCC topology permits the connection of a pair of photovoltaic sources on its input, getting the maximum power of both sources simultaneously. The efficiency of the power electronic converter is very high, since cascaded power stages are not used. This feature is of great interest in photovoltaic generation in urban areas because of the partial shadowing of the photovoltaic modules. Partial shadowing significantly deteriorates the energy harvesting. The double maximum power point tracking of the NPC+GCC reduces the effects of partial shadowing. Moreover, the inverter has been designed for working in distributed generation microgrids, an upcoming scenario. The main features of the inverter, transformerless and with a double maximum power point tracking, are especially relevant for power generation in the context of microgrids. The design has been validated by means of the construction and experimental study of an NPC+GCC converter with a nominal power of 5kW.
Small-Signal Model of the NPC + GCC Multilevel Transformerless Inverter in Single-Phase Photovoltaic Power Systems
[EN] Photovoltaic transformerless inverters are very efficient and economical options for solar-power generation. The absence of the isolation transformer improves the converters' efficiency, but high-frequency voltage to ground can appear in the photovoltaic string poles. The high capacitance to ground of the photovoltaic generator leads to undesirable high-leakage currents. Using half-bridge topologies dramatically reduces the leakage to ground, and using a multilevel half-bridge inverters improves the output quality compared with classical inverters. The neutral point clamped + generation control circuit (NPC + GCC) topology is a multilevel single-phase transformerless inverter capable of tracking the maximum power point of two photovoltaic sources at the same time. This paper presents the control structure and the dynamic modeling of the NPC + GCC inverter. The pulse-width modulated (PWM) switch model in continuous conduction mode (CCM) was used to obtain the small-signal model of the two switching converters that make up the inverter. The resulting dynamic model was used to quantify the stability margins of both converters' current and voltage loops.