Centralized MPPT exiting and switching method and application thereof

• US 10,693,297 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Fenggang, Ni, Hua, Zheng, Qun, Zhang, Yanhu, Hu, Bing
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thai H
• Application Number:
  US15/309,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,170 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources maximum power point systems in particular G05F1/67
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

Disclosed is a centralized MPPT exiting method for a photovoltaic inverter comprising multiple DC chopper circuits and one inverter circuit. The method comprises: when the photovoltaic inverter is in a centralized MPPT mode, MPPT control is implemented independently for each photovoltaic cell in a photovoltaic component and the maximum power point for each photovoltaic cell is obtained; a reference value of the maximum power point for each photovoltaic cell is determined according to the type of the multiple DC chopper circuits; whether the voltage difference between the other maximum power points and the reference value goes beyond an allowable voltage difference is judged and the operation of the DC chopper circuits connecting to the photovoltaic cells with a voltage difference beyond the allowable voltage difference is recovered.

Claims

1. A method for exiting a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized mode of a photovoltaic inverter, wherein the photovoltaic inverter comprises a plurality of direct current (DC) chopper circuits and an inverting circuit, the inverting circuit is connected to an output side of the plurality of DC chopper circuits on which side the plurality of DC chopper circuits are connected in parallel to a DC bus, and a plurality of photovoltaic strings are connected in parallel to the DC bus via the plurality of DC chopper circuits, the method comprising:

obtaining a maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, by performing a MPPT control individually on each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings in response to the photovoltaic inverter operating in the MPPT centralized mode and in response to the plurality of DC chopper circuits which are stopped from operating;

determining output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, which correspond to the obtained maximum power points;

determining one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings having a standard voltage value, which is a maximum or minimum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to a type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

determining whether a voltage difference between the output voltage of a further one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings and the standard voltage value of the one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings exceeds a preset voltage difference; and

restarting the DC chopper circuit connected to the further one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings in response to the determined voltage difference exceeding the preset voltage difference.

2. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 1, wherein, before performing the MPPT control individually on each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, the method further comprises:

determining whether a voltage of the DC bus meets an inversion requirement and exiting the MPPT centralized mode if the voltage of the DC bus does not meet the inversion requirement.

3. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 2, wherein, if the DC chopper circuits are boost chopper circuits, the standard voltage value is the maximum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings.

4. A method for switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized modes of a photovoltaic inverter, comprising a method for entering a MPPT centralized mode and the method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 3, wherein the method for entering the MPPT centralized mode comprises:

obtaining a further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determining a reference value for the further maximum power points of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to the type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

suspending the DC chopper circuit connected with the photovoltaic string corresponding to the reference value; and

determining whether voltage differences between voltages of the further maximum power points and the reference value exceed a further preset voltage difference, and suspending ones of the DC chopper circuits connected to ones of the plurality of photovoltaic strings with the voltage differences not exceeding the further preset voltage difference.

5. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 2, wherein, if the DC chopper circuits are buck chopper circuits, the standard voltage value is the minimum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings.

6. A method for switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized modes of a photovoltaic inverter, comprising a method for entering a MPPT centralized mode and the method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 5, wherein the method for entering the MPPT centralized mode comprises:

obtaining a further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determining a reference value for the further maximum power points of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to the type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

suspending the DC chopper circuit connected with the photovoltaic string corresponding to the reference value; and

determining whether voltage differences between voltages of the further maximum power points and the reference value exceed a further preset voltage difference, and suspending ones of the DC chopper circuits connected to ones of the plurality of photovoltaic strings with the voltage differences not exceeding the further preset voltage difference.

7. A method for switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized modes of a photovoltaic inverter, comprising a method for entering a MPPT centralized mode and the method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 2, wherein the method for entering the MPPT centralized mode comprises:

obtaining a further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determining a reference value for the further maximum power points of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to the type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

suspending the DC chopper circuit connected with the photovoltaic string corresponding to the reference value; and

determining whether voltage differences between voltages of the further maximum power points and the reference value exceed a further preset voltage difference, and suspending ones of the DC chopper circuits connected to ones of the plurality of photovoltaic strings with the voltage differences not exceeding the further preset voltage difference.

8. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 7, wherein, before obtaining the further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, the method further comprises:

determining whether the voltage of the bus meets the inversion requirement.

9. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 1, wherein, if the DC chopper circuits are boost chopper circuits, the standard voltage value is the maximum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings.

10. A method for switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized modes of a photovoltaic inverter, comprising a method for entering a MPPT centralized mode and the method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 9, wherein the method for entering the MPPT centralized mode comprises:

obtaining a further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determining a reference value for the further maximum power points of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to the type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

suspending the DC chopper circuit connected with the photovoltaic string corresponding to the reference value; and

determining whether voltage differences between voltages of the further maximum power points and the reference value exceed a further preset voltage difference, and suspending ones of the DC chopper circuits connected to ones of the plurality of photovoltaic strings with voltage differences not exceeding the further preset voltage difference.

11. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 10, wherein, before obtaining the further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, the method further comprises:

determining whether the voltage of the bus meets the inversion requirement.

12. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 1, wherein, if the DC chopper circuits are buck chopper circuits, the standard voltage value is the minimum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings.

13. A method for switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized modes of a photovoltaic inverter, comprising a method for entering a MPPT centralized mode and the method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 12, wherein the method for entering the MPPT centralized mode comprises:

obtaining a further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determining a reference value for the further maximum power points of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to the type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

suspending the DC chopper circuit connected with the photovoltaic string corresponding to the reference value; and

determining whether voltage differences between voltages of the further maximum power points and the reference value exceed a further preset voltage difference, and suspending ones of the DC chopper circuits connected to ones of the plurality of photovoltaic strings with the voltage differences not exceeding the further preset voltage difference.

14. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 13, wherein, before obtaining the further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, the method further comprises:

determining whether the voltage of the bus meets the inversion requirement.

15. A method for switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized modes of a photovoltaic inverter, comprising a method for entering a MPPT centralized mode and the method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 1, wherein the method for entering the MPPT centralized mode comprises:

obtaining a further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determining a reference value for the further maximum power points of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to the type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

suspending the DC chopper circuit connected with the photovoltaic string corresponding to the reference value; and

determining whether voltage differences between voltages of the further maximum power points and the reference value exceed a further preset voltage difference, and suspending ones of the DC chopper circuits connected to ones of the plurality of photovoltaic strings with the voltage differences not exceeding the further preset voltage difference.

16. The method for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 15, wherein, before obtaining the further maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, the method further comprises:

determining whether the voltage of the bus meets the inversion requirement.

17. An apparatus for exiting a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) centralized mode of a photovoltaic inverter, wherein the photovoltaic inverter comprises a plurality of direct current (DC) chopper circuits and an inverting circuit, the inverting circuit is connected to an output side of the plurality of DC chopper circuits on which side the plurality of DC chopper circuits are connected in parallel to a DC bus, and a plurality of photovoltaic strings are connected in parallel to the DC bus via the plurality of DC chopper circuits, the apparatus comprising:

a maximum power point determination unit, configured to obtain a maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings by performing a MPPT control individually on each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings in response to the photovoltaic inverter operating in the MPPT centralized mode and in response to the plurality of DC chopper circuits which are stopped from operating;

a standard value determination unit connected with the maximum power point determination unit, configured to determine output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, which correspond to the obtained maximum power points, and determine one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings having a standard voltage value, which is a maximum or minimum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to a type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits; and

a circuit restarting unit connected with the standard value determination unit, configured to determine whether a voltage difference between the output voltage of a further one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings and the standard voltage value of the one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings exceeds a preset voltage difference, and restart the DC chopper circuit connected to the further one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings in response to the determined voltage difference exceeding the preset voltage difference.

18. The apparatus for exiting the MPPT centralized mode according to claim 17, further comprising:

a bus voltage determination unit connected with the maximum power point determination unit, configured to determine whether a voltage of the DC bus meets an inversion requirement and exit the MPPT centralized mode if the voltage of the DC bus does not meet the inversion requirement.

19. An inverter control system for a photovoltaic inverter, wherein the photovoltaic inverter comprises a plurality of direct current (DC) chopper circuits and an inverting circuit, the inverting circuit is connected to an output side of the plurality of DC chopper circuits on which side the plurality of DC chopper circuits are connected in parallel to a DC bus, and a plurality of photovoltaic strings are connected in parallel to the DC bus via the plurality of DC chopper circuits, wherein, the control system is configured to:

in response to the photovoltaic inverter operating in a MPPT centralized mode and in response to the plurality of DC chopper circuits which are stopped from operating, obtain a maximum power point for each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, by performing a MPPT control individually on each of the plurality of photovoltaic strings;

determine output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings, which correspond to the obtained maximum power points;

determine one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings having a standard voltage value, which is a maximum or minimum one among the determined output voltages of the plurality of photovoltaic strings according to a type of the plurality of DC chopper circuits;

determine whether a voltage difference between the output voltage of a further one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings and the standard voltage value of the one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings exceeds a preset voltage difference, and restart the DC chopper circuit connected to the further one of the plurality of photovoltaic strings in response to the determined voltage difference exceeding the preset voltage difference.