Single feedback regulation of the AC voltage for high-power inverters under stand-alone operation

Energy-storage inverters under stand-alone operation must control the output voltage. However, existing methods for instantaneous voltage regulation are not suitable for high-power inverters due to their limited sampling frequency. To avoid this problem, a single feedback voltage loop with feedforward compensation is proposed in this paper, making it possible to actively damp the LCL filter resonance and thus facilitating the controller design. Simulation results demonstrate the fast reference tracking and the high-quality voltage obtained with non-linear loads.This work was supported by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and FEDER-UE under grant DPI2016-80641-R and by the Public University of Navarre through a doctoral scholarship. The authors acknowledge the financial and continuous support of Ingeteam Power Technology

Effect of the inner current loop on the voltage regulation for three-phase photovoltaic inverters

In three-phase grid-connected PV inverters, regulating the input voltage is a fundamental requirement. In order to reduce the influence of the PV non-linear behavior and ensure stability in the whole operating range, the input capacitance is currently oversized. This paper reveals the important effect of the inner current loop in the voltage stability and proposes to use a Proportional (P) controller instead of a PI controller. If tuned following the guidelines provided in this paper, the P controller makes it possible to design a stable voltage loop without increasing the input capacitance, thus reducing the converter cost.This work was supported by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) under grant PID2019-110956RB-I00/AEI/10.13039 and grant DPI-201680641-R

STC power for 15MW of PV comparing nameplate, initial power and power after 4 years

To date, the majority of quality controls performed at PV plants are based on the measurement of a small sample of individual modules. Consequently, there is very little representative data on the real Standard Test Conditions (STC) power output values for PV generators. This paper presents the power output values for more than 1300 PV generators having a total installed power capacity of almost 15.3 MW. The values were obtained by the INGEPER-UPNA group, in collaboration with the IES-UPM, through a study to monitor the power output of a number of PV plants from 2006 to 2009. This work has made it possible to determine, amongst other things, the power dispersion that can be expected amongst generators made by different manufacturers, amongst generators made by the same manufacturer but comprising modules of different nameplate ratings and also amongst generators formed by modules with the same characteristics. The work also analyses the STC power output evolution over time in the course of this 4-year study. The values presented here could be considered to be representative of generators with fault-free modules

Parameter-independent battery control based on series and parallel impedance emulation

Appropriate voltage control is essential in order to extend the useful life of a battery. However, when universal chargers are used, the design of this control becomes more complicated, given the fact that the battery impedance value may vary considerably, depending not only on the operating point but also on the type, size and aging level of the battery. This paper firstly shows how the voltage regulation can become extremely variable or even unstable when the controller is designed according to the proposals in the literature. We then go on to propose the emulation of a series and parallel impedance with the battery, which is easy to implement and achieves a control that is completely independent of the battery connected. The simulation results obtained for batteries with resistances ranging from 10 mO to 1 O, show the problems with existing controls and confirm that the proposed control response is similar for all the possible range of battery resistances.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Observed degradation in photovoltaic plants affected by hot-spots

A number of findings have shown that the test procedures currently available to determine the reliability and durability of photovoltaic (PV) modules are insufficient to detect certain problems. To improve these procedures, ongoing research into the actual performance of the modules in the field is required. However, scientific literature contains but few references to field studies of defective modules. This article studies two different localized heating phenomena affecting the PV modules of two large-scale PV plants in Spain. The first problem relates to weak solder joints whilst the second is due to microcracks on the module cells. For both cases, the cause is identified, and consideration is given with regard to the effect on performance, the potential deterioration over time, and a way to detect the problems identified. The findings contained in this paper will prove to be of considerable interest to maintenance personnel at large-scale PV plants and also to those responsible for setting module quality standards and specifications, and even the PV module manufacturers themselves