A Grid-tied PV Inverter with Sag-severity- independent Low-voltage Ride Through, Reactive Power Support, and Islanding Protection

Abstract

This paper proposes a grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) inverter capable of low-voltage ride through (LVRT), reactive power support, and islanding protection. Unlike other LVRT inverters, the proposed inverter is independent of sag severity while maintaining the maximum power-point tracking (MPPT) under normal and faulty conditions. The addition of an energy storage buffer stage mitigates the DC-link voltage surge during sags. At the same time, the inverter injects the reactive power during back-to-back sags of variable depths. The control system of the inverter generates the appropriate reference signals for normal, LVRT, and anti-islanding modes while the MPPT continues running. The salient features of the proposed inverter are: (1) active power injection under normal grid conditions; (2) sag-depth independent LVRT with reactive power support; (3) no DC-link fluctuations; (4)continuous MPPT mode; and (5) simultaneous LVRT and anti-islanding support during a grid outage. The inverter demonstrates an uninterrupted operation and seamless transition between various operating modes. Simulations and the experimental prototype have been implemented to validate the efficacy of the proposed PV inverter.