MSE 894 - Project 4

Solar Energy Conversion System with Grid-tied

Inverter

1. Objectives
1) To understand the operating principle of a complete grid-tied solar energy conversion
system, including maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control for the dc-dc converter
and voltage-oriented control (VOC) scheme for the grid-tied inverter; and
2) To design power conversion configuration, parameters, and control for a grid-tied solar
energy conversion system; and
3) To investigate performances of the system.

2. Suggested Simulation Software

Matlab/Simulink

3. System Specifications
3.1 Solar Energy Conversion System
The simplified block diagram for a grid-tied solar energy conversion system is shown in
Figure 1. The system is composed mainly of a PV array, a dc-dc boost converter, and a
dc-ac grid-tied inverter. The control system is responsible for producing proper control
over the dc-dc and the dc-ac stages to achieve the PV-side (MPPT) and grid-side (VOC)
control objectives. System parameters are provided in the following table:

Solar Energy Conversion System

Rated Apparent Power 20 kVA
Rated Line-to-line Voltage 690 V
Rated Stator Frequency 60 Hz

Lg
dc-dc Boost
C1 C2 dc-ac Inverter
Converter
(VOC)
PV Array (MPPT)
Grid

Gatings Idc Vdc Gatings

Vpv Ig
Control System Vg
Ipv
Figure 1 Simplified diagram of a solar energy conversion system

SFU-MSE894 Graduate Project #4 Summer 2017

3.2 VOC for the Grid-tied Inverter
The system configuration and control block diagram for the grid-tied inverter with VOC
scheme is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Grid-tied inverter with VOC scheme

4. Project Requirements

Part A
A.1 Design system parameters (PV array, dc-dc and dc-ac stages) and create a
Matlab/Simulink simulation model including all the power conversion stages (You may
refer to the sample model provided on Canvas).
A.2 Complete the control stages for the dc-dc boost (MPPT) and dc-ac inverter (VOC)
stages.

Part B
Run simulation under rated irradiance level and temperature, observe and capture the
waveforms of the controlled variables.
Figure 1: Grid voltage and currents, vag & iag, vdg & vqg, and idg & iqg;

SFU-MSE894 Graduate Project #4 Summer 2017

 Figure 2: Grid active power (Pg), reactive power (Qg) and power factor (PF);
Figure 3: dc link voltage vdc, modulation index ma and control angle c.
Figure 4: Input and output dc voltage, vpv and vdc, and duty cycle D of the boost
converter.

Part C
C.1 Modify the system control such that grid PF=0.9 leading (through setting Iq_ref);
observe and capture the same waveforms as in Part B. Analyze the results.
C.2 Change the irradiance level to 50%, observe and capture the same waveforms as in
Part B. Analyze the results.

5. Project Report
1) Cover page (including course/project title, your name, student ID, date)
2) Abstract (a paragraph of about 200 words)
3) Introduction
4) Theoretical analysis
5) Calculations, simulation results and discussions/explanations
6) Conclusions (about 300 words)
7) Appendix: Simulink models

SFU-MSE894 Graduate Project #4 Summer 2017