CONFIGURATION AND MOUNTING OF PV
SYSTEMS
BY
BULUMA NAPHTALI
ICT DEPARTMENT.
PV SYSTE
M CONFIGURATIONS AND
MOUNTING
Objectives
By the end of this unit, trainee should be able to
• State different PV system configurations
• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of
each configuration
• Know the criteria for choosing suitable
configuration
• Advise on best mounting materials
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
Configuration depends on:
• Functional and operational requirements
• How the equipment is connected to other power
sources and electrical loads.
• The two main classications are:
- Stand - alone systems
- -Grid coupled systems
Stand alone PV systems
These are systems which work without any
connection to an established power grid.
Two types of stand alone PV power systems:
• Direct coupled system without batteries
• Stand alone system with batteries
Direct coupled system.
The basic model of a direct coupled system consists
of a PV moduleconnected directly to a dc load.
• No battery banks in this set up
• Energy is not stored
• Capable of powering common appliances like
fans, pumps etc only during day.
Stand alone PV power systems with battery
backups
• As the demand from the load does not always
equal the solar panel capacity, battery storage are
commonly used.
Primary function of a storage battery in a stand-
alone PV system are:
-Store energy during the sunny part of the day.
-To provide stable current and voltage by
eradicating transients
-Supply surge currents: To loads like motors
Some of the most common configuration:
• Module- (Inverter)- Load
• Module- battery- Load
• Module- Controller- Battery- Load
• Module- Controller- Battery- Inverter-Load
• Module-inverter- Grid
Atypical stand alone photovoltaic system
A schematic of a direct- coupled system
Load related problems with stand alone
• Wrong selection.Some loads cannot be used
with stand alone
• House wiring. Inadequate or low quality
wiring may increase energy consuption.
• Stand-by loads: Stand by mode of some loads
waste energy.
PV HYBRID SYSTEM
PV HYBRID SYSTEM
• PV hybrid systems take the form of photovoltaic
systems combined with wind turbines or diesel
generators.
• Advantages: Little or no additional wiring is required
if the house is already wired for convetional AC.
• Disadvantages: Without any DC alternatives inverters
can be a potential source of breakdown to a PV
system.
System configuration.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
Modules inverter- grid.
• Also known as grid tied PV
• Modules are connected to the national grid
• Inverters required
• Either without or with battery back up
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
System configuration
PV SYSTEM CHOICE
Depends on various factors.
• Type of work it will do ( what kind of load, size
of load?)
• Is Grid connection available?
Answers to (1) and (2) arrived at during site visit
and evaluation, will set whether to choose DC
coupled, DC stand alone, PV & Wind etc
NEXT
»PV MODULE MOUNTING
PV module mounting
• Location must oriented toward the sun
• Free from shading throughout the sun’s daily and
seasonal paths
• Proximity to power conditioning center to minimize
line losses
• The owner should be in agreement with arrangement
of the array and the location
• The site may also need to provide protection from
theft and vandalism
• Operators should access to perform routine
maintenance
Type of mounting selection depends
on
• Orientation of the house
• Shading at the site
• Weather condition
• Roof material
• Roof load bearing capacity
• System applications
PV Module Mounting depends on number of
modules available, space & security.
• Pole mounts
• Roof mounts
• Ground mounts
• Trackers
Pole mounting
• Arrays are mounted on a vertical pole.
• The pole may be fixed or rotatable
• Keep modules well off from the ground
• More expensive as it requires metal pipes plus
concrete foundation.
POLE MOUNTS
POLE MOUNTING
Roof top mounting
• Module(s) are mounted on the roof.
• Roof should face either south or north
• Ideal for iron sheet roofing
• Cheap and simple to fabricate.
• Roof top mounting are divided into
• Direct mount
• Adjustable or fixed rack mount
• Stand-off mount
• Ballasted mount
• Building integrated mount
Direct mount
• PV modules are mounted directly to the
conventional roofing material, eliminates need
for supporting framework
It not allow for air circulation around the
array’s modules, resulting in higher operating
temp. and decreased power
ccess to array’s electrical connection is
limited, making repair and maintenance
difficult
Rack Mount
• PV modules are supported by a metal
framework and are set at a predetermined
angle.
• Placed on the roof with rack bolted on the
roof structure
• More efficient compared to direct mount
• Some rack mounting are adjustable
Stand-off mount
• PV modules are placed parallel to the roof top
with an air-gap between the two surfaces
• Modules should be mounted at least 4 inches
above the roof.
• This the most common roof mounting system
Ballasted mount
• Design for flat roofs
• Rely on weight to prevent uplift from wind
Building Integrated Mount: Building integrated
with PV systems during construction
Ground Mounting
• Suitable for arrays of more than four modules
• E.g. Water pumps for large home systems
• Can be used on flat roof tops (apartments)
• Usually secured on racks fixed in concrete
• Tracking Mounting systems
PV array are able to track the daily motion of the
sun using a tracking device
They are relatively expensive
In general, for all mounts:
• Modules should be located off the ground so
that they are out of dust and animals
• Should be away from chimneys, kitchen
• No shade near by
• Should be where it can be cooled naturally by
wind.Near to batteries, in secure place
