A Grid Connected Photovoltaic System With a Multilevel Inverter and a Le-Blanc Transformer

Year 2012, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 84 - 91, 01.03.2012

Vitor Pires J. F. Martins D. Foito Chen Hão

Abstract

In this paper a novel power conversion structure for grid-connected photovoltaic applications is presented. This structure is based on a multilevel inverter and on a LeBlanc transformer. The proposed multilevel power converter uses two single-phase voltage source inverters and a four wire voltage source inverter. The Le-Blanc transformer is connected at the output of the multilevel inverter. The configuration of the PV system is based on the multi-string technology. The structural design of this new power converter allows a seven level shaped output voltage wave at the output of the multilevel inverter.  To control this power converter a sliding mode controller with a vectorial modulator is used. This control system allows obtaining a fast a robust response for the multilevel inverter. Several experimental results are presented, confirming the expected performance of the proposed power conversion structure. 

Keywords

Photovoltaic power conversion, grid connection, multilevel converter, LeBlanc transformer, cascade structure, sliding mode controller

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