Photovoltaic Power Plant Engineering

SOLAR INVERTER
Prepared By :-
Sagar paneliya (17MSE011)
 OUTLINE

Basic Working And Application

Types of Inverters

How to Find Which Inverter Need In Rooftop Solar Plant

Same Point For Choose Inverter For Mega Scale Solar Plant

Top Company Which is Manufacture Inverter

Combiner Box

Junction Box
 Basic Principle And Application

 A power inverter, or inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes

direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
 The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and overall power handling
depend on the design of the specific device or circuitry.
 In Solar Plant It Is use for convert DC current which is come from solar panel to
Ac current which is use for Load

INVERTER
OUTLINE
Types of Inverters
String Inverter

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Transformer
Grid
 Solar panels are installed in rows and This raw connected with one small inverter called
“string inverter ”

 For example if you have 25 panels you may have 5 rows of 5 panels. So 5 strings are
connected to 5 string inverter.

 Each string carries the DC power the solar panels produce to the string inverter where it’s
converted into usable AC power Depending on the size of the installation, you may have
several string inverters each receiving DC power from a few strings.
Lower balance of systems costs.

Lower ongoing maintenance costs (e.g., no fans or air filters).

Simpler design and modularity

Fewer arrays are impacted with one inverter failure.

string inverters is better for systems with different array angles

and/or orientations.
Higher DC watt unit cost.

Newer and less field-tested product

More inverter connections.

Requires more distributed space to mount inverters.

Maintainace Cost increases

Combiner
box

Inverter
Transformer
Grid

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 Central inverters are similar to string inverters but they are much larger and can support
more strings of panels.

 Instead of strings running directly to the inverter, as with string models, the strings are
connected together in a common combiner box that runs the DC power to the central
inverter where it is converted to AC power.

 Central inverters require fewer component connections, but require a pad and combiner
box. They are best suited for large installations with consistent production across the
array.
Lower DC watt unit cost.

Fewer component connections.

Proven field reliability.

Optimal for large systems where production is consistent across

arrays.

Easy to monitor
Higher installation cost (e.g., inverter pad work).

Higher DC wiring and combiner costs.

More inverter connections.

Less optimal for systems with different array angles and/or

orientations

Difficult to find Problem when highest producing strings within a range and block
the production of lower producing strings outside of that range.
Micro Inverter

Transformer
Grid

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 Microinverter systems are designed to allow for individual per-panel
Monitoring
Reliability monitoring

Most high quality microinverters have undergone rigorous testing in

Reliability extreme weather conditions

Microinverters convert DC power to AC instantly, eliminating the exposure to

Enhanced Safety
high voltage DC electricity.

Typically, microinverters have a 25-year warranty opposed to 5 years for

Longer warranties
string inverters.

Due to it’s modularity and it’s size, it’s very suitable for residential buildings
Suitable for Residential
where each panel can be differently oriented or have different shading
Buildings
pattern during the day.
 Micro Inverter is been it’s higher initial cost. But it’s cost can be justified in
Higher Initial Cost cases where there are technical challenges in installing a solar array (series
of solar panels) or shading issues that could cause the entire system
underperform.

Extra Monitoring As each inverter is independently located below a solar panel, a

Device communication bus and a common monitoring system

As a inverter is below the solar panel, it might be very difficult to replace

Higher Cost of the micro inverter due to existing site conditions and might require more
Replacing than 1 technician on site to replace.
Types of Inverters
 Mostly not connect

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inverter
 Battery-specific inverters manage the charging and discharging of a battery bank.
Just as with other inverters, their job is to convert DC electricity into AC electricity,
but they also do the reverse – converting AC electricity into DC in order to charge a
battery bank.

 Battery inverters can be installed into homes where no solar PV system exists for
purposes of energy arbitration (i.e. using cheap off-peak grid electricity for battery
charging), but most homes are more likely to install them in order to capture and
store excess solar energy.

 But nowadays they also connect it to grid so the excess energy will be given back to
the utility grid.

 Due to dual system it become costly.it cost more than string and micro Inverter.
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 In the context of residential (solar + storage) systems, a hybrid inverter
(sometimes referred to as a multi-mode inverter) is an inverter which can
simultaneously manage inputs from both solar panels and a battery bank,
charging batteries with either solar panels or the electricity grid (depending on
which is more economical or preferred).

 Because hybrid inverters perform two integral function, they can be less
efficient than standard string or battery inverters
Types of Inverters
 Local utility and generator produces sine wave. Because The rotating AC machinery need sine wave
input.
Majority equipment's are work on sine wave.

 If we supply sinewave input these devices work with full specifications. Motors, microwave ovens
produced full output only when it gets sine wave power.

 It is more expensive than others.

 It is like a square wave but is not exactly a square wave. All equipment's will work fine but will have
low efficiency. So these devices will use more power due to its low efficiency.
It is the cheapest inverter. But they are rarely in use. It is used to operate universal
motors without any problem.
OUTLINE
Let’s Find By Example

Let’s Take Same load

1 tube light – 60 watts For 2 Hrs.

1 CFL - 25 watts For 2 Hrs.

1 fan- 70 watts For 2Hrs.

1 television- 120 watts For 1 Hrs.

 Then the power requirement = 2* 60 +2*25+2*70 +1*120

= 120+50+140+120

= 430watts
So the total power requirement is 430 watts.

Then the power of the inverter is the ratio of power requirement in watts to the power factor (efficiency).

Power of inverter = power requirement / power factor

Most of the inverters have efficiency 60% or 70 % (Or We can Take 1.3 Time of Max load)

Assume power factor =0.7

Then power of inverter = 430/ .7 = 615 VA, the inverter of specific rating can be choose.

Now Select standard Inverter Which is Nearest Power Value Of 615 VA

 Sine wave inverter is better, because it reduces heating and will increase the longevity of inverter.
 The square wave inverter produces a humming sound. This humming sound can be reduced by
using sine wave inverter. The sine wave inverter supply is better than the supply from grid.

 Choose the inverter with capacity according to the load.

Like In Summer Overall Voc Is decreases and In winter Overall Voc Is increases so consider
this types condition.

 The idle power consumption of inverter must be low.

 It must consume low electricity from grid.

 Most inverters available in market are rated on kVA/VA or Kilo Volt Ampere/Volt
Ampere.

 In ideal situations (power factor of 1) 1 VA = 1 Watt. But in real power factor varies
from 0.85 to 0.99

 So one can assume 1.18 VA = 1 Watt. So if you have a setup where the total wattage
of the system is 1000 Watts, it means your inverter size required is more than 1180
VA or 1.18 kVA (add some extra to be on a safer side).
OUTLINE
1.SMA
2.Fronius
3.SolarEdge
4.ABB
5.Delta
The combiner box is a device that combines the output of multiple strings of PV modules for connection to the
inverter.

It is typically used in the larger commercial and utility scale PV power plants (greater than 500kW).

The combiner box commonly houses the input overcurrent protection fuse assemblies for several strings
(from as few as three strings to as many as 52), as well as the combined bus of those inputs into a single main
output.

Mounting on a north facing wall in the shade is recommended, as direct sunlight can significantly increase
internal combiner temperatures, reducing reliability and life of internal components
 There are several key elements to pay close attention to when specifying or evaluating a string combiner box.

 Enclosure = Most string combiners are available in outdoor-rated enclosures,

 typically NEMA 3R, 4 or 4X, with NEMA 3R being the minimum requirement.

 typical today is a NEMA 4 steel or NEMA 4X non-metallic enclosure.

 In high humidity areas, or areas with a large swing in humidity, you might consider adding a condensation or breather
vent that will allow pressure equalization to the enclosure

 The enclosure is often one of the more expensive components in the string combiner but it’s important because it
has a direct impact on the life of the combiner.

 The enclosure’s mounting position, size and color directly affects the internal temperatures. Lighter colors typically
absorb less solar radiation than darker colors.
 combiner box manufacturers

1. GEESYS Technologies (India) Privat Limited

2. Yaskawa – Solectria Solar

3. Susten by Mahindra

4. Elmex

5. Green Field Solar PVT Ltd.

 A junction box is an enclosure that protects a connection (the junction) of two or more wires carrying
electrical current.

 This level of protection is needed to prevent fires and to maintain solid, reliable connections that stay
tight over many years.

 electrical connection in a building it is much easier to locate and repair any electrical problems that come
up
Thank you!
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