CHAPTER 4

Photovoltaic System

Photovoltaic Components and

System Configurations
 Sub-Topic
• Introduction
• Inverter
• Charge Controller
• Battery
• MPPT
• Cable and Wiring
• System Protection
 Solar Photovoltaic
System (SPS)
 The total components and subsystems that, in combination,
convert solar energy into electrical energy suitable for
connection to a utilization load.

energy load
inversion &
source utilization
conditioning

PV Array Inverter
load energy
Charger distribution
center
Controller
energy
conversion

electric
energy utility
storage battery network
3
 Solar Photovoltaic System
(SPS) Components
 PV Array: An electrical assembly of photovoltaic modules that
convert sunlight to DC electricity.
 Inverter: A device that converts DC power from batteries or PV
arrays into utility-grade AC power.
 Energy Storage: Electrical or other storage devices sometimes
used to store energy produced by PV arrays for later consumption.
 System Charge Control: A device used to protect batteries from
overcharge and overdischarge, and sometimes to provide load
control functions.
 Load: Energy consuming electrical appliances served by the
system.
 Balance of System (BOS) Components: Other equipment
required to control, conduct, protect, distribute power and
structurally support the system.
4
Identification of Solar Photovoltaic
System Components

Photovoltaic source circuits

Fuses Photovoltaic
output circuit
Solar cells

Module

Panel

Array

5
 Variety of Inverters

Inverters are
available in
many different
configurations
and ratings.

6
 Photovoltaic System
Types & Configurations
 Stand-Alone Systems
 Operate independent of the utility grid and include
hybrid systems.
 Utility-Interactive Systems
 Sometimes called grid-connected or grid-tied
systems.
 Operate connected to (i.e., in parallel with) the utility
grid. A bi-directional interface is required.
 Bi-Modal Systems
 May operate in either utility-interactive or stand-alone
mode, but not concurrently.
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 Introduction
PV has 4 main systems:
• Direct-coupled PV system
• Stand-Alone System
• Grid Connected
• Hybrid System
Introduction Cont..

Direct-coupled PV system
 Direct Coupled Configuration

The simplest type of

stand-alone PV
configuration is the
direct-coupled system,
consisting of only an
array and a DC load.

10
 Self Regulated System Configuration

Self-regulating stand-
alone PV systems
avoid the complexity
of adding charge
control components
by precisely sizing the
battery and array.

11
 Regulated Configurations
Systems with charge
control regulate the
charging current into
the battery. Regulation
may involve
disconnecting or
dissipating the current
inside the controller or
diverting the excess
current into an
auxiliary load.
12
Introduction Cont..

Stand Alone System

 Stand-Alone PV System with
Batteries and Charge Control
 Charge control is required whenever the load is variable
and the battery is not oversized.
 Protects the battery from overcharge and overdischarge,
and may provide load control functions.

PV Array Charge DC Load

Controller

Battery

14
 Stand-Alone Configurations
with AC Loads
Stand-alone systems with AC loads must include an
inverter, which draws DC power from the battery
bank and changes it to AC power for distribution.

15
 Stand-alone Inverters

Stand-alone inverters are connected to the

battery bank.

16
 Battery Packaging

Many components
are common to
various battery
designs.

17
 Absorbed Glass Mat Batteries

AGM batteries
include fiberglass
mats to absorb the
electrolyte and
separate the plates.

18
 Batteries in Series
Connecting batteries in series increases system
voltage.

19
 Batteries in Parallel
Connecting batteries in parallel increases system
capacity.

20
 Batteries in Series and Parallel

Series and parallel connections can be combined

to produce a desired system voltage level and
capacity.

21
 Charge Controllers
Charge controllers manage interactions and energy
flows between a PV array, battery, and electrical
load.

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 Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations

Charge controllers
protect batteries in PV
systems from
overcharge or
excessive discharge.
 Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations

Rectifiers and chargers make AC power from sources

such as the utility or engine generators available for
charging batteries or other DC loads.
 Charge Controller
• A charge controller, charge regulator or battery regulator
limits the rate at which electric current is added to or drawn
from electric batteries.
• It prevents overcharging and may prevent against
overvoltage, which can reduce battery performance or
lifespan, and may pose a safety risk.
• It may also prevent completely draining ("deep discharging")
a battery, or perform controlled discharges, depending on the
battery technology, to protect battery life.
• The terms "charge controller" or "charge regulator" may refer
to either a stand-alone device, or to control circuitry
integrated within a battery pack, battery-powered device, or
battery recharger.
 Charge Controller Cont..
• A series charge controller or series regulator
disables further current flow into batteries
when they are full. A shunt charge controller
or shunt regulator diverts excess electricity to
an auxiliary or "shunt" load, such as an electric
water heater, when batteries are full.
• In solar applications, charge controllers may
also be called solar regulators.
 Charge Controller Cont..
• Simple charge controllers stop charging a battery
when they exceed a set high voltage level, and
re-enable charging when battery voltage drops
back below that level.
• Pulse width modulation (PWM) and maximum
power point tracker (MPPT) technologies are
more electronically sophisticated, adjusting
charging rates depending on the battery's level,
to allow charging closer to its maximum capacity.
 MPPT

A maximum power point tracker (or MPPT) is a high efficiency DC to DC

converter that presents an optimal electrical load to a solar panel or
array and produces a voltage suitable for the load.
 Maximum Power Point Tracking
Maximum power point
tracking manipulates the
load or output voltage of
an array in order to
maintain operation at or
near the maximum power
point under changing
temperature and
irradiance conditions.
 Charge Controller Cont..
• Another functions of charge controller:
– Can monitor battery temperature to prevent
overheating.
– Can display data, transmit data to remote displays,
and data logging.
– Protection Device.
– Diversion Control.
– Load Control.
 Charge Controller Cont..
Example of solar charge controller
• SCC Tristar
• MPPT Tristar
 Protecting the Battery via
Charge Regulation
Charge controllers protect batteries from over
charging by terminating or limiting charging current.

32
 Protecting the Battery via
Load Management
Charge
controllers
protect
batteries from
over
discharging by
controlling
discharging
current.

33
 Status Displays

Most charge
controllers include
displays or LEDs to
indicate battery
voltage, state of
charge, and/or
present operating
mode.

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 Shunt Control
Shunt charge controllers control charging current by
short-circuiting the array.

35
 Series Control

Series charge
controllers
control
charging
current by
opening the
circuit from the
array.

36
 Batteries
Batteries are
collections of cells
that produce
electricity through
electrochemical
reactions. Cells can
be configured into
batteries of many
different shapes and
sizes.

37
 BATTERIES

 Batteries can be used to provide long-term or

short-term electrical supply in case of grid
failure.
 Many grid-connected houses choose to have a
small electrical battery system to provide loads
with power for half a day in case of outage.
 Larger number of batteries are typically used for
remote grid-independent systems.
 Battery

 An electrical battery is one or more

electrochemical cells that convert stored
chemical energy into electrical energy. Since
the invention of the first battery (or "voltaic pile")
in 1800 by Alessandro Volta, batteries have
become a common power source for many
household and industrial applications.
 Battery Cont..

 Battery connection:

 Series

 Parallel
Introduction Cont..

Grid Connected
 Utility-Interactive System
A utility-interactive system is controlled by the
inverter, which adds AC power converted from DC
power to the utility grid power at the main AC
power distribution panel.

42
 Utility-Interactive Inverters

Interactive inverters are connected to the PV

array.

43
 Utility-Interactive Inverters:
Power Conditioning Units

 PV array maximum power point tracking (MPPT)

 Power inversion from DC to AC
 Wave-shaping and voltage regulation
 Synchronous utility interfacing
 System control and monitoring
 Protective and safety features
 Fuses, disconnects and surge arrestors on AC and
DC sides.
 Automatic disconnect when the utility is down.
 Must comply with IEEE 1547 and UL 1741.
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 Net and Dual Metering

Utility-interactive systems have either net-metering

or dual-metering arrangements for exporting
electricity to the utility grid.

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 Inverter Disconnects

Inverter
enclosures may
include protective
devices such as
disconnects.

46
 Inverter Data Displays
Inverter interfaces include on-board screens,
remote data monitors, and computerized data
acquisition and processing software.

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 Inverter
• DEFINITION: Converts DC to AC power by
switching the DC input voltage (or current)in a
pre-determined sequence so as to generate
AC voltage (or current) output.

• General block diagram

 Inverter

• Single phase inverter

• 3-phase inverter

Video
 Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations

Inverters convert DC power from batteries or arrays

into AC power to serve local loads or for export to the
utility grid.
 Inverter
Two common types of inverter concept:
– Central
– String
Inverter

Central
Inverter

String
 Inverter
Common functions of inverter beside convert DC
to AC supply:
1. Synchronize AC supply with AC grid supply
2. Protection system(overcurrent & low voltage)
3. Data logger
4. Switching
Introduction Cont..

Hybrid System Video

 Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems
include power
sources other
than the PV
array and do not
interact with the
utility grid.

56
 Bimodal System Configurations

Bimodal
systems can
act like either a
utility-
interactive or a
stand-alone
system.

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 Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations

Balance-of-system (BOS) components include all the

additional mechanical and electrical parts needed to
connect and secure the major components.
 To be continue…

Cabling and Wiring

System Protection