Improvement of the Operating Efficiency and Initial Costs of a Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Array through Voltage Clamping

The utility-scale PV array systems must be designed to operate normally at maximum power point VMPP, but must also withstand the very high voltage level of open-circuit voltage VOC which seldom occur in reality operation, if they are shut down or otherwise power grid unable to receive the full output power from PV array. According to the characteristics of solar cells, the necessity for safe withstand of a voltage level about 50-percent greater than the normal operating level exacts penalties in the costs of the ancillary components; in particular, in the inverter.The proposed project is to design build and test an electronic shorting switch suitable for use in a PV utility-scale power generation application. The electronic shorting switch can able to prevent the output voltage of PV system increasing too far from VMPP. Therefore, it is anticipated that the ability to design the PV system for a maximum voltage only marginally greater than the normal operating voltage VMPP will reduce the initial installation cost of PV array system.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Toledo

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Chen, Penghao

Contributors dc:contributor

• King, Roger

• Electrical Engineering
• PV array
• solar power
• utility-scale
• voltage clamping

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1333654173

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:toledo1333654173