An Assessment Framework for PV Parallel MPPT Configuration with a New Utilization for UIPS Loads

The prevalence rate of photovoltaics (PV)-based generation systems has increased by more than 15 folds in the last decade, putting it on the top compared to any other power generation system from the expandability point of view. A portion of this huge expansion serves to energize standalone remote areas. Seeking improvements from different aspects of PV systems has been the focus of many studies. In the track of these improvements, parallel MPPT configuration for PV standalone systems have been introduced in the literature as an alternative to a series configuration to improve the overall efficiency of standalone PV systems. However, this efficiency improvement of the parallel MPPT configuration over the series one is not valid for any standalone application, therefore an assessment procedure is required to determine the most efficient MPPT configuration for different standalone applications. Therefore, in this study, an assessment procedure of parallel MPPT is conducted to demonstrate the suitability of utilizing such a configuration compared to series one, based on load daytime energy contributions. This assessment will help PV system designers to determine which MPPT configuration should be selected for applications under study. Furthermore, a new utilization of parallel MPPT configuration is introduced for operating universal input power supply (UIPS) loads to eliminate the inverter stage, thereby increasing the overall system efficiency and reliability. Finally, a systematic procedure to size the complete system is introduced and reinforced by a sizing example.

Electrical Power Generation System: Optimal Design for Medium-Load Industries with High-Rated Generators

The demand for electrical power is rapidly increasing due to the rise of industries in developing countries. Power generation stations are having troubles to strike a balance between demand and generation. In this situation, it is urged that appropriate remedial action be taken. Rising power demand can be met by designing an efficient electric power generation system which will also help lowering the generation cost. It is shown that while high rated electric power generators are connected in parallel the value of neutral current is rising and the cooling temperature is also increased. Here, the goal of this experimental work is to present a new model for designing an efficient power production system for average-load (ranging up to 8000 Amp, 440 V) industries to minimize the demand on centralized interconnected grid. A scheme is proposed with four generators (2500 kVA, 2000 kVA, 2000 kVA and 1250 KVA) in parallel and enough cooling arrangement is provided with minimal cost. The coolant temperature is maintained 61 °C to 61.5 °C and at that time diesel temperature is not more than 38.5 °C. The amount of neutral-current is also optimized (up to 8.5 Amp.) which was more than 12 Amp. At the morning and afternoon, the neutral current is almost constant, but it is bit fluctuating between 7.5 Amp to 8.2 Amp at mid-day. The final outcome shows, the suggested system is efficiently stable with the change of load and generates optimal electricity.

Simulation Analysis of Arc Interruption Characteristics in Disconnector

Wind and solar energy are examples of clean energy that are widely developed and utilized in order to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. Higher requirements for the safety and reliability of the power grid are put forward after they are connected to it. In the case of disconnectors, as the power system’s protection equipment, their arc interruption characteristics are closely tied to the safety and reliability of the power system. In addition, a disconnector is required to be able to break the DC arc in the photovoltaic power generation system. Therefore, this paper focuses on the arc evolution characteristics in disconnectors. A magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model of disconnectors was built. In this model, not only are the coupling of the electromagnetic field and the airflow field considered, but also the characteristics of the external circuit. Therefore, not only can arc evolution characteristics be obtained through this simulation model, but the breaking performance will also be directly obtained. The temperature, pressure and velocity distribution are obtained to analyze the evolution process. The curve of current versus time is calculated to analyze the breaking performance. The evolution characteristics of AC and DC arcs in the disconnector are analyzed by calculation and comparison. This provides theoretical guidance for the optimal design of DC disconnectors through simulation analysis.

Enhanced single-phase heat transfer performance via vortex secondary flow in hypervapotron configuration

As the hypervapotron (HV) heat sink is used to cool many areas inside the fusion tokamak, it is essential to understand its heat transfer performance to calculate the thermal efficiency of the power generation system. Therefore, in this study, the single-phase (SP) heat transfer performance of HV heat sink was evaluated through sub-cooled flow boiling experiments under one-side high-heat load conditions. When vapor is generated inside the heat sink, flow instability and a potential risk of reaching the critical heat flux are created. Therefore, in commercial power plants, cooling systems tend to operate in the SP regime. System parameters that can be adjusted in the power generation system include the system pressure, mass flow rate, and subcooling, and the effect of these three parameters on the heat transfer performance in the SP regime was analyzed. It was experimentally observed that the mass flow rate was the most influential variable. The prediction performance of the SP forced convection heat transfer correlations of the existing conventiaonl channel were evaluated. The results revealed that they tended to under-predict the heat transfer performance of the HV heat sink. In addition, the same trends were found when the forced convection heat transfer correlation of the curved channel was evaluated. The reasons for the former and the latter are that the heat transfer enhancement effect by the vortex flow occurring between the fins of the HV heat sink is not reflected in the correlations, and the vortex effect of the HV heat sink is not expressed as a variable. Therefore, a new vortex forced convection heat transfer correlation was developed through the newly defined Dean number of the HV heat sink. The developed correlation recorded an average error rate of 0.48%.