Optimized DC-AC Boost Converters for Modular Photovoltaic Grid-Connected Generators

Emmanuel ACHILLE, Thienry MARTIRE, Christian GLAIZE, Charles JOUBERT

Laboratoire d'Electrotechnique de Montpellier (LEM) - Place Eugene Bataillon - CC079 - UM2 F 34095 MONTPELLIER CEDEX 5 (FRANCE) glaizeWa!univ-montp2.fr, eachillevoila.frt, martire(auniv-mnontp2.fr, joubert(a)univ-montp2.fr
Abstract - The market foir photovoltaic systems has considerablv developed during the last few years, be it for gridconnected power generation or along the sun applications. However, the cost of solar modules remains a sensitive issue which entails the need for a better use of available power. In this paper, we present an architecture allowiiing the operation of each separate photovoltaic module at his optimum, independently of other modules. For this purpose, we consider the use of a large number of small converters, each of them being associated to one photovoltaic module, instead of only one converter. To be economicallv feasible, we propose a structure which allows simultaneously to galvanically isolate the module from the grid, to increase the voltage, to concert DC current to AC current. The whole structure ensures that the power conversion is done with reduced losses. The converter structure is also designed for parallel operation with as many modules as necessary in order to obtain the desired power. It ensues that the dynamic response of a module must be carefullv studied to avoid any unforeseen oscillation betwieen two or more different converters or between a module and others loads distributed along the network.
Index Terms - photovoltaic, grid-connected.

When a grid-connected inverter is used, the safety of wiring operation inicreases. Whereas a classical DC module delivers voltage as soon as it receives light a module associated with its own converter will not deliver voltage or power until it is connected to the grid. The asseinbl can be done by non-electricians. * The number of parts decreases as the modules are all identical and no comnerter has to be lheld in stock or ordered separately. * This configuration allows siinplv to upgrade the plant on an on-demand basis. However, this concept is onlv feasible if the converter does not put a strain on the total cost. Consequently, the converter must be simple enough and produced in long-run. Despite the cost constraints, it must be reliable. In the following, this paper will investigate several structures for low-cost converters that can be used in gridconnected photovoltaic plants [3, 4].
*
II. FUNCTIONS TO BE IMPLEMENTED

I. INTRODUCTION

The power delivered byl a photovoltaic cell or a module is relatively small (a few watts to a few tens of watts). Hence, it is necessary- to associate a great number of cells and modules to obtain a large enough output power. Tlhis power is delivered continuously. In order to adapt the v oltage to the load and to allowz a better power management (maximum power point tracking. MPPT), present systems include only one inverter, rated to the total power of the modules. Then the cells are connected in series and in parallel [1]. For this configuration wlhen irradiance and/or aging are not lhomogeneous, considerable power drops can occur. To prevent the failure of one cell to involve the loss of a wlhole cell string, the plhotovoltaic field must be split into several subsets, each of them including its own converter. This concept can be taken even further if a converter is used for each module, the two elements becoming indissociable. The maximum power point tracking can be done for each module [2]. This modular approach has also other advantages: Because of the obtained redundancyr, the failure of one subset does not impact power deliverv.

The converter must have a large voltage ratio (typically greater than 20). For this reason, the presence of a transfomner is required. Additionally, it provides galvanic isolation. wlhich means a greater safetv. The next converter must convert DC current to AC current. Instead of a traditional association of a switcliing supply followed by an inverter, we prefer a structure wlhere the two converters are more closel+= imbricated. Given the power of a single module (50 to 100W), the most suited switching supply is a flyback because it uses fewer components. In order to minimize the losses in the DC/AC converter, it is better to make the switches operate at 50 or 60 Hz instead of a few^ tens or hundreds of kilohertz [3, 4]. This converter wvill then operate more as a unfolding bridge than as a voltage inverter. Tlhus, the generation of a sinusoidal waveform will be the task of the flvback. It appears then another advantage of the flyback, as compared to a forward switching supply. The flvback output can be naturally seen as a current source, which is best suited for grid injection. The flvback converter will be driven so as to generate a current similar to the one plotted on the upper part of fig. 1.

(0-7803-8304-4/04/$20.00 @2004 IEEE

1 005

Ib(t)

*I

panel(s)

Scdar

X
I
I

| \

~~~~Output

Flyback Unfolding biddge Fig. 2 Entire structure with thlristor unfolding bridge

Additionall-N.7, when large voltage interferelnces are detected on the grid, the structure must open all the thiristors w ith a very short response time.
Fig. 1 Currents before and after bridge
In order to operate at a unitairy power factor and, as a consequence, to minimize the current rating of the converter? we generate a current simnilar to the rectified grid voltage. This operating mode is allowed bj- a current loop. The current waveform output of the bridge is plotted on the lower part of figure 1. II. FIRST STRUCTURE OF THE UNFOLDING BRIDGE
IV. ALTERNATE CHOICE OF SWVITCHES

InitialhT. thvristors have been chosen as the switches in the unfolding bridge. This can be easily- justified byr the low cost of such components. Additionallv, thev are robust and do not require expensive circuitn- to be driven. This clhoice leads to the structure given on figure 2. This structure has been simulated with several tyTpes of load: a resistor. a parallel association of a resistor and a capacitor, an RLC load and. finallv a voltage source representing the grid. The first three loads simulate an offgrid operation. The obtained results come down to the following: * For pure resistor. the operation of the bridge is critical, because no reverse voltage is applied at switchoff, which does not ensure the correct operation of the
*
component. A better solution is to add a small capacitor in parllel to the resistor. This is sufficient to applv a small voltage in reverse to each thvristor. However, if the capacitor exceeds a certain value, an inrush current appears in the flyback during the switcliing and can dammnage the converter.

It appears that the switches can be advantageously replaced by- MOS Bidirectional Switches (MBS) as well as symmetrical IGBTs. MBS are designed for low frequency operation: the onlosses are miiinuized at the cost of increased switchinlg losses. Moreover. for MBS as well as s mmetrical IGBTs. the switchings are actually done at zero voltage and zero current condition. wliich is optimal. Anotlher advantage is that these switches can be turned on anid off. which prevents an uncontrolled increase of the current in the event of a voltage glitch. If MiBS or symmlietnrcal IGBT are used. the capacitor at the output of the unfolding inverter can be removed anid displaced between the flvback converter output and the inverter. This is the configuration that will be simulated in section VII.
V. DISCUSSION ON T HE LI-IITATIONS OF THE STRUTCTUTRE

*
*

Similarly. RLC load have been tested and the results are quite comparable to what happens for RC circuitrv. Finally, the operation on a voltage source is quite satisfactorv, provided that the output current is in plase with the grid voltage. Should this condition be violated, then the current waveform cannot be kept sinusoidal, wliich diminislhes the power factor and can create damageable interferences.

The conversion structure we propose consists basically in the association of two converters: an isolated DC/DC converter and a DC/AC conxerter. If the first of them is a standard flvback or a fonr-ard switching supply. the instantaneous active pow er is always positive in the whole structure. This implies that the converter cannot source a sinusoidal current under a sinusoidal voltage with a non-zero phase lead (or phase-lag). As a consequence, the proposed structure is generallh not suitable for off-grid operations. especiallv if the load is highly inductive or capacitive.
VI. ALTERNATE STRUCTURE In place of a 4 switches bridge. it can be possible to use only two switches but at the cost of two secondaries on the

flyback converter (fig. 3).

1006

-[t
Solar .

11-

Using the small ripple approximation and replacing voltages and currents with their average values, we obtain:
(VL (t)XT
(iC )czT

panel(s)

,1 1 I 41Flyback Unfolding stage Fig. 3 Alternate structure

(= p (t)) T- ROv (i(t))T

" ()T RV

(1)

(2)
(3)

(iP (t)),T = (i(t))

The conmmutation frequency. being a little high for a thyristor, it would be advantageously replaced by the serial association of a fast rectifier and a SCR (or fast rectifier and IGBT) which is equivalent to MBS. knowing that it is then not anymore necessarv for the controlled switch to hold a reverse voltage, the fast rectifier holding it.

During the second intenral, MOSFET Q is off and diode D conducts, the converter schematic during this interval is then depicted on fig. 5.

VII. SMALL SIGNAL MODEL AND STABILITY ANALY'SIS

The converter structure described in the previous part is designed for parallel operation with as mai- modules as necessarv in order to obtain the desired power. It ensues that the dynamic response of a module must be carefully studied to avoid any unforeseen oscillation between two or more different converters. For evaluating the converter stability, a small AC signal model of the conv-erter is needed in order to obtain its transfer function and to determine the location of its poles and zeroes [5, 6]. A good starting point is to study the classical model of the flvback converter and then to adapt it to the studied problem. In order to not only' study the ideal model of the flvback converter, we will take into account the magnetizing inductance of the isolation transformer. We also consider that the only switch losses are due to RON of the MOSFET. The other loss elements as well as the transfonner leakage inductances and the switching losses, are considered to be negligible. We will then derive the AC model starting with the two switch states and associated circuit topologies. During the first interval. MOSFET Q conducts and diode D is off, the converter schematic during tliis interval is then depicted on fig. 4.

Fig. 5 Converter partial sclhematic during the 2nd subinterval

The voltages and currents are then obtained by:

(i )(A (Ij
(vL )Xt IlT (VL (I ( I)) ,
IT

)(l-OT

(UT
1f

(0)(1-OT

(v,. (t)) a,T

(4)

(5)

(6)

From those results. and expressing converter waveforms as quiescent values plus small AC variations. we can determine equations of the quiescent values and the small AC signal equations for this non ideal flvback converter: For DC values:
R =0 A(,--RoR,I)-A' ~17
p

(7)

A'I
n

Ivr(t)

(8)
(9)

I = AI
and for small signal AC values:

Fig. 4 Converter partial sclhematic during the Ist subintenral

d (t ) = A" dt

(t)-.A'

i (t)+a(t
R

'PI)
n

+-R 1 (10) -RARONi(

dt

-RQ).i'(t) VR (t)
n

-4

IdQ)

(11)

1007

A) I?(t) ()= (t) +

(12)

where: a(t) = A + a(t) is the duty cycle of the converter and a'(t)= 1- aX() and AI= I-A.

Combining these equations. we can build the equivalent model of this non ideal flvback converter, fig. 6 wliich could be solved using conventional linear circuit analysis techniques. to find the converter transfer functions and output impedance.

(t

Ro0J +

Fig. 6 Small signal AC equivalent model

Until now. w e have supposed that the load was resistive but in the case of a grid comnected converter, the load is made of an SCR or IGBT bridge connected to the grid. By itself, a full bridge. half-bridge. or push-pull convierter has no characteristic small-signal model. Their small signal dynamics are characterized by the basic isolated version of the topology that they are assuming - typically buck, buckboost or flyback. The fact that there are two phases is not seen by the control function, but clhanges in DC isolation effects are. In our case. assuming that the bridge is onlh< used as a low frequency unfolding inverter, we can replace the resistance by a 5OHz sinusoidal source, this lead to the schematic of fig. 7.

In the case of a grid connected conv-erter. the load of the fliback is made of an SCR or IGBT bridge or commutator conmected to the grid. By itself. a full bridge, a lhalf-bridge or a push-pull converter has no characteristic small-signal model. Their snall signal dynamics are characterized by the basic isolated version of the topology that they are assumed - typically buck, buck-boost or flvback. The fact that there are two phases is not seen b- the control function but changes in DC isolation effects are. In our case, assuming that the bridge or commutator is only used as a low frequenicy unfolding inverter. the load is a 50/60 Hz sinusoidal source. The small signal model for the solar array consists of the solar array output impedance RS and a current source is as the input perturbing signal. The final model of the entire syrstem is depicted on fig. 7.

s,t)(

-,

._
K

@t) ,1

{)1 5

Fig. 7 Small signal AC equivalent model with grid model

The small signal model for the solar array consists of the solar array output impedance RS and a current source

is as the inlput perturbing signal. The final model of the entire system is depicted on fig. 8.

1008

(,,~~

R,

) ,(t)

Fig. 8 Final small signal AC equivalent model (grid- connected structure)

The small-signal model has been used for a root locus analvsis of the whole module. The objective is to test the stabilitv of the system under various conditions. Additionall, it pernits to adjust the parameters of the compensator in the current loop in order to ensure stable operation over a wide range of external conditions, such as the influence of network impedance or cable strav inductaince and the association to other devices.

l-2.A + A + nCARON.P F1 -n2R}1(L. p+ARo0 )

(16)

Starting from eq. 10. and switching to Laplace domain, the variations of the current injected into the grid can be expressed in the following form:
FR =.p( + Fad+ F
(13)

with:
F

a4R I-

1I2 (L.p + ARo)

n4(A4- 1)

(14)

-nv -nArL4AR,+nRor+AI+nAV + A4R+nL.p(l5)

n2(L.p+4ARF?)

The most important term is the input admiittance of the converter. Y = -F seen from the network grid. The poles anid zeros locus for this function hLas been obtained with a program written in Matlab 6.5 and is depicted on figure 9. As we can see on the root loci, all the poles and zeros of the admittance are in the left part of the plane, wliich proves the stabilit of the inverter whatever the conditions. The system is also minimal-phase. Note however that these results have been obtained for an open-loop simulation of the inverter. Under actual operation, a slight feedback from current iR to the dut\- ratio ALPHA should be created in order to ensure the correct value for the output current. The determination of the optimal values of the compensator characteristics. as well as an experimental validation of the model. are underwan .

1.5

X. lo'

O.S F
0 he
0.5 k
1
--

>0

-6

-4

-3

-1
x 10

Fig. 9 Final locus of poles and zeros L=1.6AtH, C=4.74F, n=30, 40<Vr<315, 0. 1<A<0.9; Ron=0.85; 0.5<1<5-0.0 1<Rs<3

1009

Vf. CONCLUSION
The photovoltaic converter we propose appears promising. The structure hLas the advantages to be simple enough for low -cost mass productionL while enhauicing the global efficiency of the energy conversion and providing an intrinsic form of electric safetv. It features the isolation between the grid and the photovoltaic module and tde ability to operate each module at its MPP. We also checked theoretically its stabilitv under various netw,ork and load conditions.
IX. REFERENCES
[1]

Akbaba. M., Alataawi. M.A.A.. 1995. A new model for 1-l' characteristics of solar cell generators and its applications. Solar Energ'Mater. Solar Cells 37. 123-132.

[2]

Alghuwainem, SL.. 1991. Application of a DC chopper to maximize utilization of solar-cell generators. In: IEEE/'PES 1991 Winter Meeting. New York USA, Paper 91 WM 145-3EC.

[3] B. Lindgren. "TopologN for Decentralised Solar Energy Inverters with a Low Voltage AC-Bus". Proceedings of the 8th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, Lausanne 1999.
[4]
M. Meinhardt. T. O'Donnell, H. Schneider. J. Flanner'y. C. 0 Mathuna. P. Zacharias and T. Krieger, "Miniaturised Low Profile module Integrated Converter for Photovoltaic Applications with Integrated Magnetic Components,'" Proc. 1999 IEEE 14th7Applied Power Electronics Conference, 1999.

[5] Robert.W. Erickson. Dragan Maksimovic, Fundamentals of power

electronics (second edition). Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN: 0792372700.

[6] MOHAN, N.. UNDELAND. T. M. & ROBBINS WT. P. (1995). Power Electronics:Converters,Applications and Design, Second Edition, John Wiley and SonsdInc.

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