Photovoltaic Powered Water Pumping System Research Articles

Investigation of Standalone Solar Photovoltaic Water Pumping System With Reduced Switch Multilevel Inverter

Solar photovoltaic powered water pumping systems are becoming very successful in regions where there is no opportunity for connecting the grid. The photovoltaic technology converts solar energy into electrical energy for operating DC or AC motor-based water pump. In the case of a solar AC motor water pump, it engages two energy conversion stages (DC-DC and DC-AC) in the power conditioning unit. This usually resulted in increased size, cost, complexity and decreases efficiency of the entire system. In addition, the existing two-level inverter (DC-AC) stage generates higher harmonics in output voltage that deteriorates AC motor performance. As a consequence, a single energy conversion stage with more than two-level output voltage could be possible by utilizing multilevel inverters which replaces two-level inversion stage easily to get higher levels of output voltages as well for extracting best results from the motor. Moreover, they can able to operate with reduced switching frequency that certainly reduces switching losses. Still, the increased voltage levels comprise a higher number of power semiconductor switches, cumulative voltage stress and switching losses are making the system more complicated. In this paper an innovative seven-level inverter with five switches had been taken to investigate 0.5 H. P single phase induction motor water pump. This topology ensures minimum switching losses, lowering size along with less installation cost. In order to provide better insight into the working and performance of this proposed topology the simulation results performed in the MATLAB / Simulink environment and hardware implementation are depicted.

Review of Solar PV Powered Water Pumping System Using Induction Motor Drive

This paper presents the review of the Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) array fed water pumping system using an Induction Motor Drive (IMD). The penetration of renewable energy powered water pumping systems in industrial and domestic applications receiving wide attention nowadays. The introduction of a three-phase induction motor brings an improved solution to the commercial water pumping system. SPV array fed water pumping system using IMD mainly consist two stages; first stage extracts the maximum power from the solar Photovoltaic (PV) array by restraining the duty ratio of the DC-DC boost converter. In the second stage, a controller is employed to control the switching pulses of the Voltage Source Inverter (VSI). Different control methods are available for regulating IMD like Scalar (V/f control), Direct Torque Control (DTC), Vector control, and DTC use Space Vector PWM (SVPWM) control.

Control of SRM drive for photovoltaic powered water pumping system

The aim of present study is to develop a `Luo' converter-based low-cost solar powered water pumping scheme utilising a switched reluctance motor (SRM). The speed of SRM drive is controlled by adjusting the DC-bus voltage of split-capacitor converter. The converter is electronically commutated at fundamental frequency for low switching losses. A `Luo' DC-DC converter working in continuous inductor current and capacitor voltage modes (continuous inductor current mode and continuous capacitor voltage mode) is utilised to feed power to SRM drive through a split-capacitor converter. It also provides the limitless sector of maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The elimination of current and voltage sensors on the motor side owing to variable speed operation of the motor drive makes the system cost-effective and reliable. The soft-starting of SRM drive is also achieved through the proper step size and initial duty cycle selection through MPPT algorithm. The performance of SRM system is validated by both Simulink/MATLAB platform-based model and responses of developed prototype.

Design optimization of photovoltaic powered water pumping systems

The use of photovoltaics as the power source for pumping water is one of the most promising areas in photovoltaic applications. With the increased use of water pumping systems, more attention has been paid to their design and optimum utilization in order to achieve the most reliable and economical operation. This paper presents the results of performance optimization of a photovoltaic powered water pumping system in the Kuwait climate. The direct coupled photovoltaic water pumping system studied consists of the PV array, DC motor, centrifugal pump, a storage tank that serves a similar purpose to battery storage and a maximum power point tracker to improve the efficiency of the system. The pumped water is desired to satisfy the domestic needs of 300 persons in a remote area in Kuwait. Assuming a figure of 40 l/person/day for water consumption, a volume of 12 m3 should be pumped daily from a deep well throughout the year. A computer simulation program is developed to determine the performance of the proposed system in the Kuwait climate. The simulation program consists of a component model for the PV array with maximum power point tracker and component models for both the DC motor and the centrifugal pump. The five parameter model is adapted to simulate the performance of amorphous silicon solar cell modules. The size of the PV array, PV array orientation and the pump–motor–hydraulic system characteristics are varied to achieve the optimum performance for the proposed system. The life cycle cost method is implemented to evaluate the economic feasibility of the optimized photovoltaic powered water pumping system. At the current prices of PV modules, the cost of the proposed photovoltaic powered water pumping system is found to be less expensive than the cost of the conventional fuel system. In addition, the expected reduction in the prices of photovoltaic modules in the near future will make photovoltaic powered water pumping systems more feasible.

Solar powered induction motor-driven water pump operating on a desert well, simulation and field tests

A photovoltaic-powered water pumping system, employing an induction motor pump, capable of supplying a daily average of 50 m 3 at 37-m head has been developed. The system was installed on a desert well in Jordan, where: the average solar radiation amount to 5.5 kW h/m 3/day, to provide the Bedouins living in the well area with drinking water. A mathematical model to enable testing the system performance by computer simulation was developed. This model allows the representation of motor torque in function of speed (and slip) at different supply frequencies, as well as the flow rate and efficiency of the system in function of supply frequency and pumping head. Prior to its installation on the desert well, the system performance, in accordance with frequency and head, was thoroughly tested in the laboratory. As illustrated in this paper, simulation and laboratory testing results are well matched. At constant pumping head, the flow rate is proportional to the supply frequency of the motor. At constant flow rate, the pumping head is proportional to the supply frequency squared only in the range below the peak efficiency of the pump. For higher flow rate values, a special algorithm based on the experimental results could be developed. Higher system efficiency is achievable at higher frequency. It is advisable to operate the motor pump at the nominal frequency, flow rate and head corresponding to maximum efficiency. Long-term field testing of the system shows that it is reliable and has an overall efficiency exceeding 3%, which is comparable to the highest efficiencies reported elsewhere for solar powered pumps.

99/01274 Dynamic behavior of a three-phase self-excited induction generator for single-phase power generation : Shilpakar, L. B. and Singh, B. Electric Power Systems Research, 1998, 48, (1), 37–44

A photovoltaic-powered water pumping system, employing an induction motor pump, capable of supplying a daily average of 50 m3 at 37-m head has been developed. The system was installed on a desert well in Jordan, where: the average solar radiation amount to 5.5 kW h/m3/day, to provide the Bedouins living in the well area with drinking water.A mathematical model to enable testing the system performance by computer simulation was developed. This model allows the representation of motor torque in function of speed (and slip) at different supply frequencies, as well as the flow rate and efficiency of the system in function of supply frequency and pumping head.Prior to its installation on the desert well, the system performance, in accordance with frequency and head, was thoroughly tested in the laboratory. As illustrated in this paper, simulation and laboratory testing results are well matched. At constant pumping head, the flow rate is proportional to the supply frequency of the motor. At constant flow rate, the pumping head is proportional to the supply frequency squared only in the range below the peak efficiency of the pump. For higher flow rate values, a special algorithm based on the experimental results could be developed.Higher system efficiency is achievable at higher frequency. It is advisable to operate the motor pump at the nominal frequency, flow rate and head corresponding to maximum efficiency.Long-term field testing of the system shows that it is reliable and has an overall efficiency exceeding 3%, which is comparable to the highest efficiencies reported elsewhere for solar powered pumps.

Design and installation of solar photovoltaic powered water pumping system at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

The paper presents the outcome of the powering of a conventional a.c. type water pump by photovoltaic (pv) solar modules which were 28 in number connected 7 in series giving a total of 4 parallel strings. An assesment of the system, which provides water to the University Mechanical Workshop and a nearby village, shows that the system has been operating continously since October 1993 and on average 20 m 3 of water is pumped daily at average solar radiation level of 5kWh/m 2/day.

Detailed analysis for photovoltaic powered water pumping systems

Abstract In this work a model for each element as well as their interactions have been developed,[1–9]. The problem of obtaining the characteristics of the pump at different speeds beginning from the normally given nominal speed curve is explained. The power loss in the pump and motor are regarded in the model. The case of surface pumping from a river (constant head) has been considered too. The DC permanent magnet motor is selected due to its higher efficiency. A detailed example has been given to explain how to use the model. The DC permanent magnet motor centrifugal pump group is proved to be suitable for direct coupling with PV array in both cases of variable and fixed heads.