Open AccessCascaded diode clamped inverter based grid‐connected photovoltaic energy conversion system with enhanced power handling capability and efficiency
Author(s) -
Rao Pandry Narendra,
Saini Lalit Mohan,
Nakka Jayaram
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
iet renewable power generation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.005
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1752-1424
pISSN - 1752-1416
DOI - 10.1049/rpg2.12046
Subject(s) - photovoltaic system , topology (electrical circuits) , inverter , voltage , pulse width modulation , capacitor , power (physics) , electrical engineering , diode , electronic engineering , h bridge , computer science , engineering , control theory (sociology) , physics , quantum mechanics , control (management) , artificial intelligence
Abstract This paper proposes a high power factor converter based symmetrical topology entitled cascaded diode clamped half‐bridge multi‐level inverter for high voltage photovoltaic (PV) applications along with a hybrid multi‐level pulse width modulation technique. Due to the restriction of peak inverse voltage (PIV) on switching devices, the PV array voltage is restricted. Also, operating at high current causes switching losses and degrades the efficiency, hence limiting its power enhancement. Unbalance in the capacitor voltages leads to high PIV across the devices, which is undesirable. The proposed topology allows connecting double times PV array voltage keeping the PIV and current alike cascaded H‐bridge multi‐level inverter, hence increasing the efficiency, and thereby reducing cost and space. It ensures a capacity enhancement in renewable energy systems linked to on/off‐grid applications. The projected scheme allows even power distribution among the sources along with maximum and efficient energy conversion. The control scheme adopted has the ability to balance dc‐link capacitor voltage in each half‐bridge results in equal PIV and switching losses across all the devices. Simulations of PV connected modified topology is carried out and validated with experimental results.