Aspects of electrical machines and photovoltaic generators cooperation

Abstract

The most important aspects, determining the operation possibilities of different kind electrical machines in photovoltaic (PV) driving systems, have been discussed in this article. In such a system a PV generator, directly converting sunlight energy into electrical energy, is the basic energy source for electrical machine. Technically, and presently often economically, reasonable examples of PV driving systems applications, such as driving of pumps, compressors, fans and feeders, have been presented below. The basic properties of PV generators, as low-voltage DC-current energy sources with significantly of fate changing parameters, have been short reminded. The basic features of different kind structures of PV driving systems (grid-connected, stand-alone with accumulators, stand-alone without electrical buffer energy sources) have been presented in brief. Detailed description and analysis of different kind electrical machines properties at an angle of possibilities of their operation in PV driving systems has been done. The instructions for selection of energoelectronical energy converters used between PV generators and electrical machines have been also presented. The application of these converters is necessary, because direct connection of the machine to PV generator is either impossible, or in practice not profitable. The article issues will be much more important in Poland in near future, because of permanent, intensive growth of PV market in the wide world (tens percents yearly) for the last several years. This fact should cause analogous state of affairs in Poland soon