A Novel, Ultra-Compact, High-Efficiency Power Conditioning System for Integration into Roof-Top Photovoltaic Modules

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal attempts to design an efficient power conditioning system for PV interconnection to a residence. The design is based on DC-DC converter and Inverter topology, and this topology itself is not a new scheme; it has been used in many cases of PV systems. Also, the proposed scheme is designed to use the maximum power point (Voltage or current) derived from a MPPT algorithm (which assumed to be installed in a microcomputer based system). Actually, the main reason that the MMPT is not well accepted in a small PV project is that the high-cost of the computer based maximum power tracker. The PV market and application have yet to justify the adoption of MPT in terms of the benefit of just a little more power drawn from the PV cells against the initial costs of the MPT. In a small size PV application, more economical power tracker is highly sought. In addition, if the DC-DC converter is included in the proposed scheme, could the DC-DC control scheme, such as current control, accommodate the MPPT control?