Synchronverters:Invertersthatmimicsynchronousgenerators

TheSynchronverter Technology
The synchronverter technology is devoted to operating
inverters based on the mathematical model of
synchronous generators. These inverters behave in the
same way as conventional synchronous generators and
thus are gridfriendly. The deployment of the technology
wouldminimisetheimpactofthefastgrowingnumberof
gridconnected inverters on the grid, which is a potential
threattotheoverallstabilityofpowersystems.
These inverters can work in gridconnected mode and
islandmode.Theycanworkaloneorinparallelwithoutan
externalcommunicationchannel.
When it is connected to the grid, the real power and
reactive power sent to the grid can be regulated in two
ways: one is to respond to the instructions of the grid
operator and the other is to change the real/reactive
powerautomatically,inrespondingtothevariationofgrid
frequency and voltage, according to the preset
frequency/voltagedroopingcoefficients.

ApplicationAreas
Distributed generation and renewable energy,
such as combined heat and power (CHP), wind
power and solar power. The synchronverter
technology allows these sources to take part in
the regulation of power system frequency,
voltageandoverallstability.

P was increased to 70W

Uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), in

particular,theparalleloperationofmultipleUPSs
Isolated/distributed power supplies, e.g. to
replacerotaryfrequencyconverters
Inductionheating
Staticsynchronouscompensator(STATCOM)to
improvepowerfactor
HVDCtransmission(atthereceivingend)

Connected to the grid

Drooping mode set

Q was increased to 30Var

Synchronverters:Invertersthatmimicsynchronousgenerators
CompetitiveAdvantage
Gridfriendly Cantakepartintheregulationof
powersystemsfrequencyandvoltage
Easilyoperatedinparallel Nocommunication
Easilymanufactured Nochangetotheprocess
ofmanufacturinginverters
Costeffective Just a change to the control
algorithms
Versatile Canbeusedtoanypowersourcethat
needsaninvertertointerfacewiththegridorload

MarketPotential
Thecorrespondingmarketsectorofthetechnology
istheinvertermarket.Ithasgreatmarketpotential
asshownbelow:
Frost&Sullivan:theIndiaUPSmarketwasworth
US$544.4 million in 2007 and estimates this to
reachUS$1,316millionin2014.
IMS Research: The global UPS market would
breakthe$7billionmarkin2007.
IMSResearch:Itisanticipatedthattherevenues
from solar inverters are forecast to exceed $2
billion by 2010. The threephase central inverter
market is forecast to perform well over the next
fiveyears,driven bylargescale PV plantsthatare
planned globally, whilst demand from residential
and smallscale commercial systems will ensure
thatthesinglephasemarketcontinuestoexpand.
Frost and Sullivan: the inverter markets are
destined to grow. Solar, wind and fuelcell based
power plants are consumers of inverter products.
The solar and the wind based energy market is
expectedtogrowat25%,inducingasimilargrowth
in the inverter market that serve these
applications. According to Frost and Sullivan, the
European inverter market for renewable energy
systems earned revenues of Euro 654.4 million in
2007andispredictedtoreachEuro3105millionin
2014. Across Europe, renewable energybased
inverters registered growth of 36.7% in 2007 as
comparedwith2006.

IntellectualProperty
UK Patent (GB0820699.7) filed in
November 2008. Inventors: Dr
QingChang Zhong (University of
Liverpool) and Prof. George Weiss
(TelAvivUniversity).

Routeforward
The technology is a platform based
core technology. The exploitation
plan is based on securing targeted
licences across market sectors or
saleofthetechnology.

Availableinformation
9 Demonstration
9 Conferencepaper
Contact(Commercial):
DrGillianMurray
Ulive EnterprisesLtd.
T+44(0)1517053699
Egillian.murray@uliveenterprises.com
www.uliveenterprises.com
Mr.LarryLoev
DirectorofBusinessDevelopment
EngineeringandPhysicalSciences
Ramot atTelAvivUniversity
T+97236406544
F+97236406675
M+972(0)528749020
E larry.loev@ramot.org
www.ramot.org
Contact(Technical):
DrQingChangZhong
Dept.ofElectricalEngineering&Electronics
UniversityofLiverpool
T+44(0)1517944501
EQ.Zhong@liv.ac.uk
http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~zhongqc/
ProfessorGeorgeWeiss
SchoolofElectricalEngineering
TelAvivUniversity
T+972(0)36405164
Egweiss@eng.tau.ac.il
http://www.eng.tau.ac.il/~gweiss/