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UQ Innovation Expo 2003 |
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ITEE Innovation Expo 2002 |
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ITEE Innovation Expo 2001 |
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| UQ Innovation Expo 2003 » Exhibits - by Industry Sector » Andrew Parker |
Grid Connected PV Module Integrated Converter
Exhibitor: Andrew Parker
Supervisor: Geoffrey Walker
Research Group: Embedded Systems
Industry Sector: Energy and Utilities
The Inverter Module is designed to connect a 100W PV panel directly to the 240V AC grid. The module consists of a DC-DC boost converter and a DC-AC inverter. The design focus was to totally isolate the DC-DC converter from the DC-AC inverter. The only coupling between the two sides is the DC bus voltage. The AC side regulates the 350V bus by adjusting the average alternating current output from the module. The DC side adjusts the input terminal voltage, to track the Maximum Power Point of the PV panel.
The focus of this thesis was the development of the Half Bridge Dual DC-DC converter stage. As most power loss occurs in the DC boost stage, efficiency was a major design issue. Efficiencies around 95% were aimed for. A micro-controller is used for controlling the converter, and ensuring that maximum power is transferred from the PV panel to the DC bus capacitor. This required the development of a Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithm.
The resulting prototype tracks the maximum power point of the PV panel, and transfers maximum power to the 350V bus with efficiencies above 90%. The major sources of power loss are transformer and inductor core and copper losses, and MOSFET switching and conduction losses. Efficiency was improved by focusing on these areas.