Grid Interconnected Z-Source PV System

Richard Badin, Yi Huang, Fang Z. Peng, and Heung-Geun Kim

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
The paper proposes the use of the Z-Source inverter
for photovoltaic (PV) grid interconnection. Unlike the traditional
inverter, the Z-Source inverter has two independent control
variables: shoot-through duty ratio and modulation index. This
paper demonstrates that the Z-Source inverter can boost dc
voltage when needed, perform maximum power tracking, and
interface with the grid. A Z-source inverter system is considered
for a 230-400 V dc PV arrays interconnection with a three-phase
208 V rms grid. Simulation results prove that the Z-source
inverter can perform maximum power tracking and produce the
needed ac voltage to the grid for the entire PV voltage range of
230-400 V, which is not possible for the traditional inverter
without dc-dc boost converter.
Index Terms Z-Source inverter, maximum boost, grid
interconnection, maximum power point tracking (MPPT),
photovoltaic (PV), power conditioning system, pulse width
modulation (PWM).
I. INTRODUCTION
Electricity production from photovoltaic systems has
become less costly and more efficient in recent years. This
leads to a huge market for off-grid PV power systems for
remote areas [1]. For rural electrification, the grid connected
PV systems still have high costs; the key point to lower cost is
power conditioning system for PV system. These types of
systems involving the PV normally would require the grid
connection for constant supply of power.
Previous work has been done with photovoltaic cells to
output three phase grid synchronized voltage at 50 or 60 Hz
using traditional inverters [1]. The PV array is dependent on
the light intensity and temperature, both of which cannot be
controlled. The voltage ratios of such photovoltaic arrays are
normally 1:2 and have different ranges of voltages depending
on the system.
These three phase systems that are of moderately high power,
such as 10 KW, generally use two circuit configurations. In
the first case, the PV array is connected straight to a voltage
source inverter. Since there is no boosting device, the PV used,
outputs a high voltage range between 350-700 V. This means
that the inverter devices must have a high voltage rating of
1200 V to be able to endure the voltage stress; However 1200
V devices are very costly. The other case uses a DC/DC
converter on the output of the PV array to boost voltage when
necessary. Such a system has a lower inverter device rating of
about 600 V, but the additional DC/DC converter adds to the
cost due to the device used in it. The figures below show the 2
circuit configurations discussed.
PV
Arr ay
DC/A C
Inver ter
G rid
208V 3P
10 k W
350- 700V
1200V
a). DC/AC inverter to grid.
PV
Ar r ay
DC/AC
Inverter
Gr id
DC/DC
Converter
175- 350V
600V
10 k W
208V 3P
b). DC/DC converter plus DC/AC inverter to grid.
Fig.1. Traditional 3 phase moderately high power PV inverter system.
The two systems shown above have big disadvantages when
being used in the field of power electronics due to their cost.
To cut cost, an integrated Z-Source network consisting of 2
capacitors and 2 inductors [2] are presented. This network
adds two additional states, and using the maximum boost
control method would boost the input voltage, and is then input
into the 3-phase inverter [2]. The same methods done with a
DC/DC converter and traditional inverter will be used in this
paper that includes current regulated feedback.
II. Z-SOURCE INVERTER SYSTEM
Fig. 2 shows the proposed Z-Source inverter for grid
connected PV system. An X-shape LC network is before the
traditional inverter bridge. For the inverter system in Fig. 2,
with a PV voltage change range of 1:2, and to feed a three
phase 208 V ac system, the dc voltage needs to be 350-700 V
minimum to feed to three phase 208 V ac system. The inverter
power rating generally is two times than the PV system power
rating. With the proposed system, the 230-400 V PV system
can be boosted and inverted to three phase 208 V ac system by
the Z-Source inverter only using 600 V IGBTs. Also the
Abstract -
-
2328 1-4244-0655-2/07/$20.002007 IEEE
2 0 8 V
3 p h a se a c
PV
Sim u la t o r
Z - So u r ce I n ve r t e r
a
i

b
i

a
v

b
v

pv
V
pv
I
cap
V
+
-
Gr id
Fig. 2. Proposed Z-Source inverter PV system.
system will be able to provide maximum power tracking
function and anti-islanding function [3].
This network becomes more cost efficient when the device
that normally controls the extra DC-DC converter, required for
boost, is no longer needed. With this system, the inverter
bridge can have one of the upper devices and one of the lower
devices on at the same time. This is known as the shoot-
through. This is opposed to the traditional inverters as that will
destroy the devices. It also becomes more reliable when it
comes to EMI noise. In addition to this the AC voltage output
from the inverter can be lower or higher than the DC input to
the system [4].
The rectified voltage from a 3-phase wall outlet would be the
input of a PV simulator. This simulator outputs multiple
curves on the basis of light radiation and temperature, this
according to a mathematical model [5]. The MPPT would then
track the maximum power point of any of the curves using the
basic perturb and observe method shown in figure 4.
III. CONTROL STRATEGY
This process involves tracking the maximum power point of
the photovoltaic array. The MPPT method being used is the
perturb and observe or P&O. Since different curves will be
output depending on the light intensity and temperature the
MPPT will always track the point at which the product of
voltage and current yields maximum power. The figure below
shows the P-V curve of the photovoltaic cell [5].
Fig 3. P-V curve for photovoltaic cell
The maximum power point is at a certain voltage and current
on the knee of the PV curve. This voltage will be the input to
the Z-Source inverter which, being controlled by a current
regulated PWM, outputs the desired voltages onto the grid.
The next figure shows the MPPT method
Sense V(k),I(k)
P(k)=V(k)I (k)
P(k)>P(k-1)?
I(k)>I(k-1)? I (k)>I(k-1)?
Iref =I ref+Istep Iref =I ref-Istep I ref=Iref +I st ep I ref=Iref -Istep
Return
Yes No
No Yes No Yes
Fig. 4 The P&O MPPT flowchart.
The grid-connection to the inverter, especially in case of a
photovoltaic system input, would normally use the phase
locked loop control method to synchronize the phase and
frequency between the two. The figure below shows a typical
PLL method for the grid interconnection [6].
Fig 5. Block Diagram of three phase PLL.
2329
PI
PI
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
Vsa
Vs
Ia*
I*
Ia
Vi a
Vi
Vs a
V
Va Id
P* Q*
Iq
Vd
Vq
I
Via*
Vib*
Vic*
Vs a
Vs b
Vs c
3 / 2
(

o |
| o
Vs Vs
Vs Vs
1
(

u u
u u
cos sin
sin cos
(

u u
u u
cos sin
sin cos
1
3 / 2
1
(
(

2
3
2 / 1
2
3
2 / 1
0
1
(
(

2
3
2 / 1
2
3
2 / 1
0
1
M PPT
Ipv
V pv
PW M
G rid
A
A
A
A
Fig.6. Control block. of the whole system.
The method shown in the figure above uses the current
references in a current controlled PWM to get the desired
voltages output from the inverter.
This work proposes the current regulated PWM method. In
previous systems a current controlled PWM would be used to
control the phase and in turn the power onto the grid, using
the stationary or rotational frame of reference. The work
proposed focuses mainly on the rotational reference frame to
control the power. The two currents are measured from the
outputs of the inverter then fed back into a closed loop system.
The closed loop system simply consists of an error check
between the actual currents and current references provided
by the grid and the amount of power required. The difference
between the two is then transformed mathematically into the
DQ rotational frame of reference for an accurate convergence
of the two and then back into 3 phases whose output would be
the voltage references.
For a balanced three phase PV grid system shown in Fig. 7,
the voltage drops across the input filter inductor are defined as:
an a
a
V v
dt
di
L + = (1)
bn b
b
V v
dt
di
L + = (2)
cn c
c
V v
dt
di
L + = (3)
where
a
v
,
b
v
,
c
v
are three phase voltages of the grid,
which are:``
t V v
a
e cos = (4)
)
3
2
cos( t e = t V v
b
(5)
)
3
4
cos( t e = t V v
c
(6)
While
an
V
,
bn
V
,
cn
V
in equations are phase voltages of the
inverter, also determined by the dc link voltage and the
inverter switching states. For Z-Source inverter, there are
total eight switching states, six of them are active states and
two are zero states. For each of the eight switching states, the
equivalent three phase
an
S ,
bn
S , and
cn
S can be found. So
the equation for
an
V
,
bn
V
,
cn
V
can be found as:
dc cn bn an an
V S S S V = ) 2 (
3
1
(7)
dc cn an bn bn
V S S S V = ) 2 (
3
1
(8)
dc bn an cn cn
V S S S V = ) 2 (
3
1
(9)
The control scheme for maximum power point tracking
uses a DC voltage regulator and an AC current controller as
shown in Fig. 6. All AC three phase variables are represented
in d-q vector forms using a reference frame synchronously
rotating with the supply voltage.
The equations for real and reactive power can be derived in
the stationary frame of reference as
| | o o s s s s s s
I V I V I V P + = = ] Re[
*
(10)
o | | o s s s s s s
I V I V I V Q + = = ] Im[
*
(11)
The MPPT will be used to get the reference of the real
power required for the system. With that and the
transformation from the 3 phase utility grid to the 2 phase
stationary frame of reference, then equations (10) and (11),
yield the current reference equations below:
) (
1
2 * 2 *
2 2
*
| o
| o
o s s
s s
s
V Q V P
V V
I +
+
= (12)
) (
1
2 * 2 *
2 2
*
o |
| o
| s s
s s
s
V Q V P
V V
I
+
= (13)
The difference between the actual and reference currents is
then transformed to the synchronous frame of reference which
is shown in the following equations:
t I t I I
d
e e
| o
sin cos A + A = A (14)
t I t I I
q
e e
| o
cos sin A + A = A (15)
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PV
Ar ray
a
v
b
v
c
v
L
dc
V
G rid
Fig 7. Three phase grid connected system.
There are 3 main control operations of the Z-Source and
they are the simple boost, maximum boost, and maximum
constant boost. The method used to control Z-Source in this
system will be the maximum boost [7]. Figure below shows
the control operation of the maximum boost.

6
5

Fig 8. Maximum boost control

3
1
3
3
1
2 1
1
0

M
T
T
B , (16)
where M is the modulation index
Given the modulation index the voltage gain MB can now
be determined

M
M
MB
V
v
ac
3 3
2 /

0
, (17)
When the voltage input to the Z-Source inverter is high
enough, no boost is required and so it operates as a traditional
inverter.
1
2 1
1
0

T
T
B , (18)
M
V
v
ac

2 /

0
, (19)
These voltage references from the closed loop feedback are
used in the maximum boost operation to output the desired
voltages from the inverter. The Figure 8 shows the operation.
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS
The following figures show the simulation results of the Z-
Source inverter system. Figures 9-12 are for input voltage of
230V, while Figures 13-16 show those of a 400V. The
boosted DC Link voltage of the Z-Source network, Vpn, is
approximately 400V as shown in figure 10 for the first case
and shows how no boost occurs for the second case of 400V.
The AC outputs of the inverter are approximately 120Vrms,
two of which are shown in Figures 11 and 15 for both cases
respectively. The digital on and off switching of the gates is
shown for both cases in figure 12 and 16 of both upper and
lower devices. When input voltage is low, 230 V, PN voltage
can be boosted by gating on shoot through states. When the
input voltage is high enough, such as in the second case of
400 V, no boost is needed. The simulation results confirm the
theory.
iL
Vin
Fig. 9. Input voltage and Z-Source inductor current for 230V input.
Vpn
Vc
Fig. 10. Z-source capacitor voltage and PN voltage for 230V input.
2331
va
vb
ia
ib
Fig. 11. Grid voltage and inverter output current for 230V input.
ap
an
bp
bn
cp
cn
st
Fig. 12. Digital turn on and turn off for 230V input.
Vin
iL
Fig. 13 Input voltage and Z-Source inductor current for 400V input.
Vcap
Vpn
Fig. 14. Z-source capacitor voltage and PN voltage for 400V input.
ia
ib
va
vb
Fig. 15. Grid voltage and inverter output current for 400V input.
ap
an
bp
bn
cp
cn
Fig. 16. Digital turn on and turn off for 400V input.
The experiment has been set up. The experiment results
will be shown in the later paper.
V. CONCLUSIONS
This paper utilizes the Z-Source inverter to output a
certain level of power onto the grid after tracking the
maximum power point of a photovoltaic cell. The system
configuration and comparison are shown. The paper also
describes the closed loop feedback control and the how this
2332
all works with the interconnection to the grid. Simulation
results are shown to verify the system.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This material is based upon work supported by the
National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424039.
REFERENCES
[1] IEEE P929/D11 Draft Recommended Practice for Utility Interface of
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[3] Y. Huang; M. Shen; F. Z. Peng; J. Wang; A Z-Source Inverter for
Residential Photovoltaic Systems, IEEE Transaction on Power
Electronics, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 1776-1782, Nov. 2006.
[4] Shen, M.; Joseph, A.; Wang, J.; Peng, F.Z.; Adams, D.J., Comparison
of traditional inverters and Z-Source inverter, in Conf. Rec. of IEEE
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[5] Ortiz-Rivera, E.I.; Peng, F.Z.;Power Electronics Specialists, 2005 IEEE
36th Conference on, 11-14 Sept. 2005 Page(s):2087 2091
[6] Chung, S.-K.;Electric Power Applications, IEE Proceedings-
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IEEE Transactions on Volume 20, Issue 4, July 2005 Page(s):833
838.
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