Design Of Photovoltaic Array Simulator

The state and society have paid much attention to how to spread and application of new energy source. The Microgrid is one of the most effective ways to use the new energy source. The Microgrid laboratory is an important method to study all kinds of operation pattern of the Microgrid. The photovoltaic power unit is an important power unit in the Microgrid laboratory. In the Microgrid laboratory, we need not only PV array, but also PV array simulator to research the solar photovoltaic-engineering system. The PV array simulator can simulate the output characteristic in the different solar irradiation and environmental temperature. It can study and experiment various the Microgrid’s operation in real time. Therefore, research and design of the PV array simulator is significant.This paper designs a PV array simulator; its main content includes some aspects in the following(1)This paper introduces the definition and actuality of the Microgrid and the Microgrid laboratory. It expounds the advantages and classifications of the solar photovoltaic-engineering system. The theory of the PV array is introduced. And then, it explains the importance of the PV array simulator in the Microgrid laboratory. (2)The design of the PV array simulator need the effective mathematics model of the PV array’s output characteristic. The mathematics model of the PV cell contains ideal and engineered model. The engineered model includes the methods of table look-up, curve-fitting and mathematical computation. In view of the calculated amount and accuracy, the design uses mathematical computation method of the engineered model and deduces the mathematics model of the PV array through it.(3) A tiny power PV cell simulator is designed with the software of LabVIEW, the power supply of PXI1117and the control loop of PXI8622, and the signal conditioning circuit. The simulation of the PV cell’s output characteristic is proceeded in LabVIEW. Then the experiment which proves the effectiveness of the simulator is conducted by changing the load and the values which represent illumination intensity and temperature.(4)The large power PV array simulator which has6kW power,600V maximum voltage and10A maximum current is designed which includes the design of the power circuit, the control loop and the software. The power circuit is designed by full bridge DC/DC converter. The important parameters of the converter are calculated. The control loop includes the P89V51RD2FBC characteristic, IGBT drive circuit, signal detection circuit and RS-232communication design and so on. The design of the calculator program uses the software platform of the LabVIEW and combines the effective mathematical model in PC. Then the experiment is conducted which proves the PV array simulator’s effectiveness.