Application of power transistors to residential and intermediate rating photovoltaic array power conditioners
An investigation into power conditioners that interface with photovoltaic arrays and utilities has been recently completed. The ratings for this investigation include residential systems (5-30 kW) that interface with a 240-V single-phase utility connection and intermediate systems (30-200 kW) that interface with a 480-V three-phase utility connection. Both systems mandated that an isolation transformer be provided between the array and the utility interface. A trade-off study was performed for many transistor and thyristor circuits and configurations. The weighting criteria included full- and part-load efficiency, size, weight, reliability, ease of control, injected harmonics, reactive power requirements, and parts cost. As the result of this study, a 10-kW high-frequency PWM transistor inverter feeding a high-frequency isolation transformer with a sinusoidally shaped current wave was selected. The output of the transformer is rectified with a diode bridge rectifier. Four thyristors, used as 60-Hz switches, reverse the polarity of the rectified current on every other half-cycle of the utility voltage. This reversal is accomplished slightly before the natural zero crossing of the voltage, thereby providing commutation for the thyristors. The results in the intermediate rating study targeted on a 100-kW design using power transistors in a full-bridge circuit connected to a 60-Hz three-phase transformer.
- Research Organization:
- Corp. Research and Devel. Dept., General Electric Co., P.O. Box 43, Schenectady, NY 12301
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-80ET29310
- OSTI ID:
- 5319480
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl.; (United States), Vol. 1A:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
EQUIPMENT INTERFACES
SOLAR-ASSISTED POWER SYSTEMS
TRANSISTORS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
LOAD MANAGEMENT
POWER CONDITIONING CIRCUITS
POWER SYSTEMS
RECTIFIERS
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
THYRISTORS
TRANSFORMERS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
MANAGEMENT
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
140600* - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems