Lecture-2 - Part I

EE6531: Selected Topics in Smart Grid Technologies
Renewable to Grid Integration

Dr. Akshay K. Rathore, Senior Member IEEE
Assistant Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering
National University of Singapore
eleakr@nus.edu.sg
http://www.ece.nus.edu.sg/stfpage/akr
Dr. Akshay K. Rathore, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore
Layout of Lecture
Major difference between single-stage and multi-stage inverters
Need of high-frequency power electronics
PV to Grid interfacing schemes
Comparison of interfacing schemes
Conclusions

It requiresPower electronics inverter (DC/AC conversion)
Controller (power flow control)
Locallygeneratedenergyisusedbylocalload.
Excessissoldtotheutility
Excesscanbestoredifoptionisavailable.
Allsuchactionsneedpowerelectronicsinterfaceandcontrol.
Important Terms/Key Words

Variability of renewables
Point of Common Coupling (PCC)
Standalone (off-grid)
Grid-interfaced/grid-tied/grid-connected
Active and reactive power flow control, i.e., power factor
adjustment
Mode of control (voltage and current control)
Decoupling stage (DC and AC decoupling)
High-frequency conversion
Inverter (Power Electronics Interface)

Low cost
Light and compact
High efficiency
Efficient handling of variability of renewables (input source)
Low THD current delivery to the grid and load
Ease and simplicity of interface
Variability in V-I and Power

Transfer Capacity
Efficiency variation with Input Voltage

and Power (Load) Variation
100
% Efficiency
90
80
70
60
50
0
20
40
Load current (A)
Efficiencycurveforwideinputvoltagevariation
Renewablesshowvoltagevariationof1:3orhigher
Efficiencydropswithincreasinginputvoltage
Renewablesshowloadvariationof1:20orhigher
Efficiencydropswithatlightcurrentorload
Poorsourceutilization
Longerpaybackperiod
60
80
Specifications of a Residential
PV Inverter
PV panel voltage (DC) = 18 V to 65 V
Inverter O/P AC voltage =230 V RMS at 50 Hz
Output power = 250 W (micro-inverter) or 1 kW.
Switching frequency = 100 kHz ?? High (What is its impact ?)
Single stage Grid-tied Inverter
Single-stage dc-to-ac conversion (least conversion stage)

Line frequency transformer (50/60 Hz)
High efficiency
Simple
Low components count
SIZE ?? VOLUME ??
Two Stage Grid-tied/connected Inverters
Two-stage dc-to-ac conversion

Line frequency transformer with relatively less turns ratio than
single-stage conversion
High efficiency but relatively lower than single-stage conversion
Simple but two stages to control
Increased components count
SIZE ?? VOLUME ??
High-frequency Power Electronics

Compact
Low cost
Light weight
Easy transportation
Efficiency
Reliability
Selection
Compare1) 10 kHz v/s 1 MHz
2) 50 Hz v/s 500 kHz
Multistage High-frequency Power

Conversion for RE to Grid Integration
Scheme 1: Two Stage Single-ended Inverter
Continued
Advantages: 1) Two stage power conversion.
2) Simple, low component count, and low cost solution for low power.
Disadvantages: 1) Such types of converters suffer from lossy resetting and

limited duty cycle.
2) There is a risk of transformer saturation. So discharge of energy stored in
transformer must be ensured during the turn-off period of switch(es).
3) Transformer size will be bigger to avoid saturation.
4) Due to limited duty cycle, one switch topology and single-ended
operation, it cannot be used for high power.
5) Low efficiency
6) Difficult to stabilize the feedback circuit in flyback converter.
7) The components of both stages are designed for peak power rating.
Scheme 2: Two Stage Conversion with Double-ended

Inverter on Primary Side and Cycloconverter on
secondary side: Case 1
Lin
PV
+
-
Lo
Cin
DC-AC
HF
double-ended
inverter
AC-AC
HF
Transformer
HF Cycloconverter
Control
Circuit
Co
vu
Utility
iu
Reference
current
(Line frequency)
Scheme 2: Two Stage Conversion with Double-ended

Inverter on Primary Side and Cycloconverter on
secondary side: Case 2
Continued
Advantages: 1) Two stage power conversion.
Disadvantages:
1) Cycloconverter switches show commutation overlap when the
current through the transformer leakage inductance changes
direction. It reduces average output voltage and modifies the
voltage waveform (distortion). This is a major problem and
removes cycloconverter configuration from the list of choices
because at higher operating frequency, the overlap forms the
large part of HF cycle.
2) The components of both stages are designed for peak power
rating.
Scheme 3: Intermediate DC Link and Last Stage

PWM Voltage Source Inverter with Voltage Control
Lin
PV
+
-
Cin
Lo
Ld
DC-AC
AC-DC
HF
Transformer
HF
inverter
Control
Circuit
Rectifier
+
Vdc DC-AC
-
Cd
Intermediate
DC link
vinv
Control
Circuit
vu Utility
vL
iu
HF voltage
controlled
PWM VSI
+
Reference
voltage
Co
+
Reference
voltage
(Line frequency)
Power flow control

No power flow
(b)
(a)
(c)
Only reactive power flow

No active power flow
Power factor = 0
Both active and

reactive power flow
0 < pf < 1
Only active power flow

No reactive power flow
Power factor = 1
(d)
Continued
Advantages: 1) Components of first two stages are designed for average power
and only the components of III stage are designed for peak power.
2) The second harmonic pulsation is reflected and absorbed at the intermediate
DC link. Therefore, risk of low frequency current ripple at the input side is low.
3) Suitable for standalone mode of operation.
Disadvantages: 1) The HF switching operation at III stage VSI will decrease the
size of the filter but will increase the switching losses and the heat sink size.
2) A large inductor is required to control the active power flow between PWM
VSI and utility line.
3) A complex control circuit to control the active power flow from DC source to
the utility (feed the current at nearly unity power factor to keep the reactive power
at minimum) is required. Interface to utility is complex.
3) Utility line power factor is good but unstable with load and input voltage
variations.
Scheme 4: Intermediate DC Link and Last Stage PWM

Voltage Source Inverter with Current Control
Continued
Advantages:
1) Components of first two stages are designed for average power and only the
components of III stage are designed for peak power.
2) The second harmonic pulsation is reflected and absorbed at the intermediate
DC link. Therefore, risk of low frequency current ripple at the input side is low.
3) No extra large inductor is required to control the power flow into grid.
4) The control is simple. Current control makes the utility connection simple.
5) The utility power factor is good and stable. Output line current has low THD.
Disadvantages: The HF switching operation at III stage VSI will decrease the
size of the filter but will increase the switching losses and the heat sink size.
Scheme 5: Three Stage Conversion with Last Stage

Line Commutated Square Wave Inverter
Continued
Advantages:
1)The interface to utility is simple.
Disadvantages:
1)The output line current will have high THD. Line filters are necessary to
minimize the current harmonics injected into the utility line.
Active filter (AF) can be used to reduce THD to a desired low level but the
complexity of the control and requirement of extra components limit the use of
this scheme with AF.
2) Stand alone operation not possible.
Scheme 6: Rectified Sine DC Link with

Unfolding Inverter with Current Control
Continued
Advantages: 1) Interface to utility is simple.
2) Only I stage (HF inverter) needs to be controlled.
3) Unlike scheme 3, no extra large inductor is required.
4) Power factor is near to unity with low THD.
5) Line frequency switched last stage inverter.
6) The size of output filter (Lo, Co) is smaller as compared to schemes 3-5.
Disadvantages: 1) The components of all three stages are designed for peak
power rating.
2) The risk of HF transformer saturation is higher as compared to schemes 3-5.
Therefore, flux sensing is needed to avoid saturation.
Comparison
Parameter
Scheme 1
Scheme 2
Scheme 3
Scheme 4
Scheme 5
Scheme 6
No. of power stages
Filter circuits
Large input capacitor

to absorb 2nd harmonic
yes
yes
No
no
no
Yes
Intermediate DC link
capacitor
NA
NA
large
large
NA
Small
last stage
capacitor
small
small
small
small
small
Small
Extra inductor
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
THD
low
low
low
low
high
Low
Utility line p.f.
good
good
good but
unstable
good
Good
(fundamental)
Good
Ease of connection
to utility line
Simple
Simple
complex
simple
simple
Simple
III stage switching
NA
NA
HF
Switched
At least one
leg HF
switched
Line
frequency
switching
Line
frequency
Switching
Simplicity of control
Simple
Simple
Complex
Simple
Simple*
Simple
Size
large
small
small
small
small
Small
Efficiency
low
high
high
high
high
High
Continued
High Efficiency
Low THD, high power factor
Easiness and simplicity
High power density per cell

Volume
Transformer saturation
Second harmonic pulsation: Effects : MPPT, Stability, Efficiency
Components rating
Conversion topology options and issues
Decoupling Capacitor Requirement

Energy storage/decoupling
capacitor
Scheme 4
Scheme 6
Value/rating
Co = 2.2 mF, 450 V
Cin = 100 mF, 80 V
Cost
24 $ US
37 $ US
Volume
Dia = 2.5'', height = 4.13''
Dia = 3'', height = 5.63''
Life
2000 hours @ 85oC
2000 hours @ 85oC
Efficiency curve
Scheme B Cin = 100 mF 80 V
Scheme B Cin = 35 mF, 80 V
Scheme A 2.2 mF 450 V

100
% Efficiency
95
Vin = 30-60 V, effective energy storage capacity

at full-load power transfer of 1 kW, which is at
low input voltage, in scheme A is CdcV2 (=
0.0022 * 3502) = 134.75 J.
90
85
80
75
70
0
100
200
300
Pow er (W)
400
500
600
However, for scheme B, it is CinV2 (= 0.035

* 302) = 15.75 J for 35 mF value capacitor and
is CinV2 (= 0.1 * 302) = 45 J for 100 mF
value capacitor.
Summary
---
31
Q(s) & A(s)
32

Lecture-2 - Part I

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Lecture-2 - Part I

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EE6531: Selected Topics in Smart Grid Technologies

Renewable to Grid Integration

Renewable to Grid Integration

Renewable to Grid Integration

Important Terms/Key Words

Inverter (Power Electronics Interface)

Variability in V-I and Power

Efficiency variation with Input Voltage

Single stage Grid-tied Inverter

Single-stage dc-to-ac conversion (least conversion stage)

Two Stage Grid-tied/connected Inverters

Two-stage dc-to-ac conversion

High-frequency Power Electronics

Multistage High-frequency Power

Scheme 1: Two Stage Single-ended Inverter

Disadvantages: 1) Such types of converters suffer from lossy resetting and

Scheme 2: Two Stage Conversion with Double-ended

Scheme 2: Two Stage Conversion with Double-ended

Scheme 3: Intermediate DC Link and Last Stage

Power flow control

Only reactive power flow

Both active and

Only active power flow

Scheme 4: Intermediate DC Link and Last Stage PWM

Scheme 5: Three Stage Conversion with Last Stage

Scheme 6: Rectified Sine DC Link with

No. of power stages

Large input capacitor

Utility line p.f.

III stage switching

High power density per cell

Decoupling Capacitor Requirement

Co = 2.2 mF, 450 V

Cin = 100 mF, 80 V

Dia = 2.5'', height = 4.13''

Dia = 3'', height = 5.63''

2000 hours @ 85oC

2000 hours @ 85oC

Scheme B Cin = 35 mF, 80 V

Scheme A 2.2 mF 450 V

Vin = 30-60 V, effective energy storage capacity

However, for scheme B, it is CinV2 (= 0.035

Q(s) & A(s)

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