A Smooth LVRT Control Strategy for Single-Phase Two-Stage Grid-Connected PV Inverters

Abstract

Based on the inherent relationship between dc-bus voltage and grid feeding active power, two dc-bus voltage regulators with different references are adopted for a grid-connected PV inverter operating in both normal grid voltage mode and low grid voltage mode. In the proposed scheme, an additional dc-bus voltage regulator paralleled with maximum power point tracking controller is used to guarantee the reliability of the low voltage ride-through (LVRT) of the inverter. Unlike conventional LVRT strategies, the proposed strategy does not require detecting grid voltage sag fault in terms of realizing LVRT. Moreover, the developed method does not have switching operations. The proposed technique can also enhance the stability of a power system in case of varying environmental conditions during a low grid voltage period. The operation principle of the presented LVRT control strategy is presented in detail, together with the design guidelines for the key parameters. Finally, a 3 kW prototype is built to validate the feasibility of the proposed LVRT strategy.