A Three-Phase Grid-Connected PV System

F. Antunes A. M. Torres
Energy Processing and Control Group - GPEC DERCE-COELCE
DEE- UFC A v. Barao de Studart. 29 1 7
C.P. - 6001 - Campus do Pici - UFC CEP: 60.127-900 - Fortaleza, CE- Brasil
60455-760 Fortaleza - Ce - Brasil alexis@coelce.com. br
e-mail: fantunes@gpec.ufc.br

Abstract case of utility outage the PV system is disconnected from

This work deals Wilh the design and laboratDlY implementation the grid by a circuit provided. Experimental results for a
of a static converter jar grid connected P I" system. The converter 700Wp PV system interconnected to the grid are shown to
is madf7 up of a dc-de boosl structure controlled by a neural access the performance of the converter and the system
network and a three-phase voltage source inverter O'SI) with
behaviour at the connection point.
optimised sinusoidal PWM strategy. The dc-dc boost converter
allows the PI' system to operate at maximum power point. The
three-phase I'Sf provides the neceSSGf:v voltage andfrf7quencyfor 2. Grid-Connected PP System
interconnection to the grid. The optimised switching strategy
used guarantees harmonics elimination at the I'SI output voltage Fig. J shows the grid-connected PV system. The System
up to the J 7,h harmonic. lite dc-dc and dc-ac structures use is divided in four different blocks: the solar panel. the
IGBT as power switches, and the system conlrol Signals are dc/de boost converter, the neural network-based
80)(5 J
generated by a microcontroller-based circuit.
controller[3] and the three-phase dc/ac converter.
Experimental results are shown to access the pel/ormance of the
i----- --------,
Three·Phase
system prsYSlem and its behaviour at the interconnection point.
PV Arrays I Boost Inverter Transformer
'r---�__-r---,�--�r---�--��

1. Introduction

Electricity production from photovoltaic systems has Grid

.., f'. .....J
become less costly and more efficient in recent years. This �"" :::J
-:
lead to a huge market for off-grid PV power systems for 'ioc .1(""
-< --,
Reference IMnr.lf IkI PIContm.
remote areas[ I ]. Photovoltaic systems are still related to Cell
the supply of power to remote areas or rural electrification PC
in developing countries. small telecommunication devices Fig. I. The Power Electronics Converter within Dashed Lines

and satellites. Grid-connected PV system ranging from

I OkWp to 500kWp are been installed in several countries. The PV panel is associated in such a way to provide an
and in some places in large scale[2]. Although the cost of open circuit voltage between 1 29V and 1 37V giving an on­
grid connected PV systems is still high. research in power load input voltage range from 9 l V to 105V
electronics and in semiconductors have played an
important role in reducing the cost of PV systems. Despite 3. The Boost Converter
cost reduction, the power converter necessary to transform
the dc power from the PV array to grid-synchronous ac The boost converter shown in Fig.2 operates in the
power accounts for about 15% of the total system cost [2]. continuous conduction mode, and it makes the PV system
This paper deals with the design and laboratory to operate at maximum power point.
implementation of a static dc-ac converter for grid connected ii L
0
PV system. The converter is made up of a dc-de boost
structure controlled by a neural network and a three-phase
voltage source inverter (VSI) with optimised sinusoidal
PWM strategy. The dc-de boost operates as a Maximum Vi Vo
Power Point Tracking (MPPT) according to information
supplied through a neural network[3]. The converter output
stage, a VSI structure, changes the PV arrays dc voltage to
Fig. 2. The 1300st Converter
a grid-synchronous ac voltage. To provide the VSI with
low harmonic distortion at the output voltage, the
optimised inverter switching strategy used guarantees The boost converter transfer function can be obtained by
harmonics elimination at the VSI output voltage up to the considering its steady-state operation. The inductor average
1 7th harmonic. The converters use IGST as power voltage is given by Eq. 1
switches, and their control signals are generated by a
80X5 J microcontroller-based circuit. For safety reasons. in

0-7803-6456-2/00/$10.00 ©2000 IEEE 723

 1 /+7 capacitor and the load. As the output current is constant
V, (mg) (t)= fVL(t)dt (1 ) over a switching period,
T ,
The converter transfer function for the continuous ��. = �. - � (t == 0) (9)
conduction mode[4] is given by Eq.2. 1 t on t on
I I t
Vo 1 �VC =-
C f Icdt=� fdt= �
(2) C 0 C
V, (1- 8) 0
Considering a lossless converter: Then :
1 00
P, Po (3) �VC fC (10)
=
=

ViIi == Vo I o (4)
1 4. The Boost Converter Especification
=
(5)
(1- 8)
Fig.3 represents the voltage gain (VoNi) as a Based on the size of the PV array the converter has been
function of the switch S duty cycle S. designed for the following characteristics: Input voltage
ranging from 91 to 105V. Output voltage of 1 06 V,
12,00 ,------,
switching frequency (fJ of 33kHz and an output power of
700W.
10,00

�
8,00

6.00
/1 The converter calculated values are [5]:
Duty Cycle (8): 0 S 8 S 0.41
A verage output current (10): 10 7. a A
Average inductor current(l,): 7,OA S I/. S 8,l5A
=

~
�
The average switch current (Is) is:
4,00 J "'Ito: 4 • (I,,,,.
+ + JMAX) 12 + JAlAX • 15 1.I 5 A (1 I)
J,
=
=

6
2,00
The switch rms current value is:
0,00 +--',-.,.-r-,--,--,-.,.-r--.-,--,r-r--.-.-r-r---; I'\I/N:! + 4 [(IAIIA +IAfA,)/2r +IHAx" (j (12)
l�(RAfS)
,,� �'} c{? (,)'r C)� �'?J C)� ()� C)�
c).
=
6
Duty Cycle 5 J'i/(}..fS) = 3 .5 A
Fig.3 Voltage Gain (VoIV,) as a Function of the Switch S Duty Cycle Ii The switch average voltage is
VCH = (1- 8)Vo 91V (13) =

From Fig.3 it can be seen that for 0=0 the boost output and the switch rms voltage is:
voltage has it minimum value Vi and goes to infinity as cS
goes to I in order to guarantee the average inductor voltage VCH(RAfS) Vo �(1- 6) 98.24V (14)
= =

equal to zero. The values of the boost inductance and the output
The ripple at the inductor current can be obtained from capacitance can be derived from Eq.8 and Eq.l 0
Eq.6, where VL is the voltage across the inductor during the respectively, resulting in L=238�H and C=5.64�F.
interval tOtH which S is closed. Diode current (/))).
V =L
di (6) - I,.
I" _ - IC!/ = 7 OA
•

I.
dl APT15060K
Considering IL increasing linearly 10

=
L(II.max - II.min) = LM (7)
V,
tOf1 tOil 91-105V
where t.l is the inductor current ripple
resulting
Fig.4 The Implemented Boost Converter
(8)
5. The DC!AC Converter
The ripple at the output voltage can be obtained taking
in to account the charge and discharge of the output DCIAC converters are used to control a power flow from
capacitor C over a switching period. During ton the a de source to an ac source or load. In its structure it can be
capacitor supplies the load current 1o• and during the time pointed out two basic blocks: the drive signals generation
toff the e'nergy stored in the inductor is transfered to the block and the power stage. The drive signals are

724
responsible for the inverter output voltage characteristics.
For most the applications it is desired to have a sinusoidal
output voltage. Several modulation techniques have been
used for a sinusoidal output voltage[4]. The Pulse Width
Modulation - PWM technique allows a pulsed voltage at
the inverter output making it easier the filtering action of
the harmonics at the output voltage. FigS shows a three­
phase inverter structure. 4

L..!
Fig. 7 : Generation of the Optimised PWM Strategy Signals over
a Switching Period

For a three-phase inverter the two level voltage in each leg

have commutation angles as seen in Fig.? The line voltage
F ig. 5 Three-Phase dc-ae Converter
is a three level wavefonn where the triple harmonics are
eliminated. For K hannonics elimination it is necessary k
Two PWM techniques have been studied: The commutation angles. Those angles are determined by
Sinusoidal PWM Technique[4] and the Optimised PWM solving a system of k linear equations with k unknowns.
Technique[6]. It has been decided to use the Optimised The fundamental component of the output line voltage is
PWM technique as a switching strategy for the three-phase determined by Eq15
inverter. Fig.6 shows the switching pattern for the
2
Optimised PWM strategy. VI = :£ [1+2�(-1)' cos<Pj] (15)

v.o
The harmonic components are determined by Eq.16

(\6)
UcF
�nFl WI VA' =2.f3E[I+2I,(_I)' COSK<P,]
�I Kn ,=1
I rLnLJ"u9
Where <j>i defines the commutation angles for the switches
u u 0 L-lCJ between 0° and 90° , and K 5, 7, II, 1 3, 17.1 9, ...
=

The higher the number of commutation angles the less the

harmonic components at the output voltage. For a perfect
r�b 00 DOD DO
DO ODD DO ...
output voltage it would be necessary an infinite number of
commutation angles. However the number of commutation
is dependent on the maximum frequency ofthe switches.
Fig.6 Switching Pattern for the Optimi sed PWM Strategy
Using E q.16 the commutation angles can be determined as
shown in Table I.
In a three-phase inverter driven by an optimised PWM TABLE I

switching strategy, the voltage at each inverter leg is a two

SWITCHING ANGLES
N 0 " 5
level signal with a switching pattern determined by the
I 2 3
[)
12" 16.24° 8.74 10.55" 6.80"
quantity of harmonics wanted to be eliminated and the Determined 22.06[) 24,40" 16.09" 17,J0"
maximum switching frequency detennined by the power Angle 27.76" 30.90" 21.03"

switches. The following procedures have been used in

Values 32.87" 34.66"

order to implement the optimised PWM switching strategy:

35.9S"

Due to symmetry, its has been calculated the commutation

Table I [ shows the harmonic distortion for each
angles between 0° and 90° to ensure harmonic elimination
eliminated harmonic in the output voltage.
up the Ith harmonics. For the angles between 90° and 180°
an image, in reference to the vertical axis, of the angles TABLE II
between 0° and 90° was generated. The same image THO IN PERCENTAGE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT
generation is done for the angles between 180° and 360°, 0 I 2 3 4 5

but in relation to the horizontal axis. This procedure is V5Nl 20.0

shown in Fig.?
V7Nl 14.3 11.8
VIINI 9.1 22.2 20,3
VI3NI 7.7 22.7 27.1 10.6
VI7NI 5.9 17,4 17.1 29.3 20.2
VI9/VI 5.3 12.9 4.4 25,2 29.2 10.2
\/231\'1 4,J 3.6 12.2 3.3 16.7 31.1
V251\'1 4.05 0 10.1 0.4 4.7 25.5
V l.rrl\' 1 0.780 0.746 0.728 0.721 D.717 0.715

The three-phase inverter power circuit is seen in Fig.S. It ac

725
output line voltage is 96Vrms . A 96/380V three-phase
power transfonner connects the inverter to the grid.
81
for any reason, the grid is off, there is a protection circuit
which opens the pee switch when the grid comes off. The
protection circuit acts in two ways: by disconnecting the
supply voltage of the microcontroller chip and by
preventing to send the drive signals to the inverter.

V
In
7. Experimental Results
Some experimental results are shown to demonstrate the
perfonnance of the system. Fig.IO shows the drive signal
waveform to the dc-dc converter IOBT switch. The switch
IR 2130 duty cycle changes according to infonnation from the
Microcontroller
neural network[3] in order to keep the PV system at the
Fig. 8. Thr�e-Phasc Inv�rter at the Output Stage maximum power point.
Fig. I 1 and Fig.12 show the boost inductor current and
The inverter characteristics are: Vin=I06Vcc, the input current to the inverter. In Fig.12 it can be seen the
VAB=VBC=VcA=96Vca. Switches SI. 6 are IOBT O T25Q I 0 1 influence of the dc-dc switching frequency in the inverter
and diodes D 1.6 are power diodes A TP15060K. input current.
The drive signals are generated by a microcontroller­
VQr---�--�-----'
based circuit in accordance to Table II. The output signals
of the microcontroller serve as input signals to the IR2130
which drives the six switches of the inverter. The
microcontroller used is the Intel 80X51 at a frequency of
12MHz.

6. The Synchronization
...

-0.06 -0.04. -0.02 0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 ms

Fig. 10. DC-DC Switch drive signal

o;,c

\
\
�

A �

B �

C ""

o;,c
PCC
4,S
�--�----�--���-
-0_06 -0.04 -0.02 0:00 0.02 0.04 0.06 ms

Fig. II Boost Inductor Current

A
� r-------�--�--�-,
Fig. 9. Connection to the Grid and Protection Circuit

The Fig.9 shows the PCC along with the synchronisation

and protection circuits. The synchronisation circuit is
provided by a voltage signal from phases B and C. At the
zero crossing of the voltage of the grid an interruption is
set at the microcontroller. then a period of the inverter
output voltage is generated synchronised to the grid
voltage.

PV systems connected to the grid may continue to

operate in the event of a disconnection of the distribution -30.0 -20.0 -10.0 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 ms

system from the utility power source. This phenomenon Fig. 12. Three-Phase Inverter Input Current
knowing as islanding. is a serious threat to safety of The following waveforms are related the VSI. Fig.13
maintenance work. To assure the PV system is off when, shows the VSI input voltage. Its average value is controlled

726
by the dc-de boost converter, and is set to a constant value the 17th harmonics at the inverter output voltage. Fig.17
of I06V. This value is the designed value to provide 96V shows the output voltage harmonic spectrum. The results
rms at the output of the three- phase inverter, and shown from Fig.lS and on are related to the PV system
consequently 380V rms at the connection point to the connected to the grid. Fig.18 shows the three-phase
grid(after the transformer). inverter line voltage VAB connected to the gr i d . The current
at the pee is seen in Fig.19, where high frequency
Ii components (above 17th harmonics) can be noted.
'130 r-------.---,_---r---�

600
110
�¥�ur��\W�Iu�Y.¥1I.IlJmlI 400

90

�
0
70

-50
-400
-3 0 0 30 ms
-600
-30 0 30 m,
Fig. 13. Controlled Inverter Input Voltage
Fig.16 Off the Grid Three-Phase Inverter Line Voltage VAB at
the PCC
Fig.14 shows the voltage waveform across one of the
Amplttucle
VSI switches. It can be seen the optimised switching
strategy in operation. 30

4C.
-30 !---- -'--------- '-------.J
O S lS
Muttiple of the Fundamental Output Frequency

Fig . 17. Hannonic Spectrum of inverter output voltage

ms
V
-10.0 -5.0 0.0 5.0 10.0

Fig. 14 Voltage Across the Inverter Switches 600 r-�-�--�-�-,---.--r-�-,---��

150 r--�--_r_-�--_--,---,_� 400

\ fA r
-400
-150 '--______�______�__�...J
·30 ·20 ms
-600
20 30

Fig. 15. Inverter Output Line Voltage V � Before the ·0.06 -0.04 ·002 0 om 0.04 0.06
Connection to the Grid
Fig. 18 - Grid connected PV System Line Voltage V�O

Fig.I S shows the inverter output voltage V.",,! for a three­

phase resistive load just across the inverter output. Fig.16 To show the power flow from the PV system to the grid,

shows the same inverter output voltage V�B at the

secondary of the three-phase transfortner for a three-phase
resistive load (at the pee not connected to the grid). [t can
be observed the switching strategy which eliminates up to

727
 A also the importance of the power electronics in the context
of renewable energy.
o
Acknowledgment
o The authors wish to thanks the Ceara State Research
Foundation - FUNCAP, in Brazil for financialIy supporting
o Mr Torres during his MSc studies at Federal University of
Ceara.
·0

·0
References

·o�--��--�---�
-60.0 -40.0 -20.0 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 ms [1] IEEE P929IDIIDraft Recommended Practice for
Utility Interface of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems. Nov
Fig. 19. .PV System Line Current IA at the PCC
1999.
[2] Spiegel, R. Kern,Jr.E and Greenberg.D.
Fig.20 shows the voltage and current at the PCe. "Demonstration of the Environmental and Demand­
Side Management Benefits of Grid-Connected
V, I Photovoltaic Power Systems". Solar Energy, Vo1.62.
Pergamon Press. 1998.
[3] Torres, Alexis de M., Antunes, Fernando L. M., Reis,
Fernando S. "Utilization of a Neural Network Based
Real Time Maximum Power Tracking Controller for
Connecting a PV System to the Grid". 24th Annual
Conference of the IEEE Industrial Eletronics Society,
, Val l , 1998. IECON Records pp. 554-558.
[4] Mohan. N et al. Power Electronics: Converters.
Applications and Design. John Wiley & Sons, 1st
Edition.
[5] Torres, A. M. Aproveitamento Fotovoltaico Controlado
por Redes Neurais Artificiais Inte rligado ao Sistema
Fig. 20. PV System Line Voltage V AS and Line Current IA at Eletrico. MSc Thesis, GPEC - DEE - UFC, Spt/98
the PCC (in Portuguese)
[6] Perin. Arnaldo Jose. "Teoria e aplica<;a:o de modula<;a:o
The phase difference between the voltage and current is por largura de pulsos(PWM) com otimiza<;a:o de
because it has been compared line voltage to phase current. harmonicas para conversores estaticos de freqUencia".
Considering the 30° between line voltage and phase Minicllrso do 6° congresso brasileiro de alltomatica,
current, voltage and current at the PCC would be near to 0° UFMG, Belo Horizonte. 1986, pp. I -IS.
out of phase, showing that the power flow is from the PV [7] Hiyama, T., Kouzuma, S, Imakubo, T. Evaluation of
system to the grid. Neural Network Based Real Time Maximum Power
Tracking Controller for PV System. IEEE
8. Conclusion
Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol. 10, NQ 3,
p
This pa er has presented the design and laboratory September 1995.
implementation of a static converter to interconnect a PV [8] Enslin, J.H.R., Wolf. S., Snyman, D. 8.. Et A!.
system to the grid. The converter is made up of a dc-de Integrated photovoltaic maximum power point
boost structure and a three-phase voltage source inverter tracking converter. IEEE Transactions on Industrial
(VSt) with optimised sinusoidal PWM strategy. The dc-dc Electronics, vo1.44, no.6, December 1997
boost converter operates as a electronic MPPT according
to information supplied from a neural network[3,7]. The
VSI driven by a optimised PWM strategy, matches the
converter output voltage to the one of the grid. The
optimised switching strategy used guarantees harmonics
elimination at the VSI output voltage up to the 17th
harmonic.
The system has been designed for 700Wp and operation
at maximum power according to the solar irradiation. The
whole system has been implemented in laboratory and the
experimental results have been shown to access the
performance of the proposed system. It may be pointed out

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