Modeling and dynamic performance of a self-commutated photovoltaic inverter system

Abstract

Interest in utility-interactive photovoltaic (PV) inverter systems has increased over the past decade and numerous central-station PV systems have been installed. It is anticipated that as PV system costs decrease, residential systems will be installed in increased numbers. Although a substantial amount of literature is available concerning the design, protection, safety, economics, and operating experience of residential and central-station PV systems, little information is available regarding their dynamic electrical characteristics and the computer modeling of these systems. Moreover, most of the available literature concerning modeling and/or dynamic performance focuses either upon the long-term dynamic behavior as it affects power system scheduling or upon the steady-state harmonic characteristics. In recent work, highly detailed computer models of a representative set of PV systems have been developed and several of these models have been verified by comparison with system measurements [1, 2]. However, the models described in [1, 2] are more complex than necessary for large-scale power system studies in which the fast switching transients associated with the dc-to-ac inverter are of little concern and only the slower cycle-to-cycle behavior of the PV system is of interest. In fact, it is not possible to incorporate these detailed models into conventional transient stability programs due, in part, to the very small time-step requirements associated with these models. In this paper, a three-phase self-commutated utility-interactive photovoltaic inverter system is described including its associated control system. A schematic diagram of the selected PV inverter system is depicted in Fig. 1.