Simulation of fault detection in photovoltaic arrays

In solar systems, faults in the module and inverter occur in proportion to increased operating time. The identification of fault types and their effects is important information not only for manufacturers but also for investors, solar operators and researchers. Monitoring and diagnosing the condition of photovoltaic (PV) systems is becoming essential to maximize electric power generation, increase the reliability and lifetime of PV power plants. Any faults in the PV modules cause negative economic and safety impacts, reducing the performance of the system and making unwanted electric connections that can be dangerous for the user. In this paper have been classified all possible faults that happen in the PV system, and is presented to detect common PV array faults, such as open-circuit fault, line-to-line fault, ground fault, shading condition, degradation fault and bypass diode fault. In this studies examines the equivalent circuits of PV arrays with different topological configurations and fault conditions to evaluate the effects of these faults on the performance of a solar system, taking into account the influence of temperature and solar radiation. This work presents the validation of a simulated solar network by measuring the output curves of a low-power photovoltaic array system under real outdoor conditions. This method can be useful in future solar systems.

Design of a Partially Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Microgrid Using IoT Technology

This study describes the design and control algorithms of an IoT-connected photovoltaic microgrid operating in a partially grid-connected mode. The proposed architecture and control design aim to connect or disconnect non-critical loads between the microgrid and utility grid. Different components of the microgrid, such as photovoltaic arrays, energy storage elements, inverters, solid-state transfer switches, smart-meters, and communication networks were modeled and simulated. The communication between smart meters and the microgrid controller is designed using LoRa communication protocol for the control and monitoring of loads in residential buildings. An IoT-enabled smart meter has been designed using ZigBee communication protocol to evaluate data transmission requirements in the microgrid. The loads were managed by a proposed under-voltage load-shedding algorithm that selects suitable loads to be disconnected from the microgrid and transferred to the utility grid. The simulation results showed that the duty cycle of LoRa and its bit rate can handle the communication requirements in the proposed PV microgrid architecture.

Solar Power System Design Applications for Pool Water Pump Operation at Tourist Accomodation

Utilization of solar energy in Indonesia has begun to bloom. This is due to the fact that Indonesia is located at the equator where the sun is exposed all year round and is a very environmentally friendly energy. Based on this, solar energy is used as an option to meet electricity needs by using a photovoltaic (PV) system. The use of a photovoltaic system as a power provider to operate a pool water pump at a villa in Bali is an example of the application of a photovoltaic system. In this study, A Seri and Parallel photovoltaic arrays were used with a panel system that was integrated with PLN electricity. The angle of inclination and direction of placement chosen in this study is 15° with facing north, which refers to research that, has been done previously. PV designs and a series of control panels that can be accessed via the internet will be described as well. The aim in this research is investigate how photovoltaic design used as a solar power plant which applied to the module can be runing the pool water pump in the villa or tourist accommodation.

A Machine Learning and Internet of Things-Based Online Fault Diagnosis Method for Photovoltaic Arrays

In this paper, a novel fault detection and classification method for photovoltaic (PV) arrays is introduced. The method has been developed using a dataset of voltage and current measurements (I–V curves) which were collected from a small-scale PV system at the RELab, the University of Jijel (Algeria). Two different machine learning-based algorithms have been used in order to detect and classify the faults. An Internet of Things-based application has been used in order to send data to the cloud, while the machine learning codes have been run on a Raspberry Pi 4. A webpage which shows the results and informs the user about the state of the PV array has also been developed. The results show the ability and the feasibility of the developed method, which detects and classifies a number of faults and anomalies (e.g., the accumulation of dust on the PV module surface, permanent shading, the disconnection of a PV module, and the presence of a short-circuited bypass diode in a PV module) with a pretty good accuracy (98% for detection and 96% classification).

Electric power management in a microgrid analyzing photovoltaic arrays and a turbine-generator system

One of the priority objectives of microgrids is to achieve energy self-sufficiency, generally resorting to distributed generation sources and backup systems; however, they are usually connected to conventional electrical networks that ensure supply to the loads. Addressing this problem, this work presents a proposal (managing elements) to minimize the dependence of power from the external electrical system in the months of greatest demand and thus guarantee the supply of the other months. The proposed methodology compares two statistical techniques: central composition design with 20 simulated experimental replicas and regression with 28. In both cases, the monthly average purchased power is analyzed as a primary response and its standard deviation as a secondary. The study variables are seven photovoltaic arrays and the feed characteristics of the turbine-generator storage of the microgrid of the Center for Development of Renewable Energies (CEDER), belonging to the Center for Energy Research, Environmental and Technological (CIEMAT). The results, with high predictive quality supported by indexes of approach to the real values of solar radiation and the operation of the turbine-generator binomial, provide regions where CEDER has the possibility of increasing the capacities of solar systems and/or modifying the geometry of the mini-hydraulics supply according to your specific conditions.

Short Survey of Architectures of Photovoltaic Arrays for Solar Power Generation Systems

Since the industrial revolution, the world’s economy has mainly relied on the consumption of fossil fuels. The burning of coal releases vast amounts of toxic COx greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere that bear an undesirable environmental impact. The ongoing offshore oil exploration activities; the infrastructure for oil extraction, production, and transportation; and the inevitable oil spills cause severe damage to the environment and huge loss of sea life, flora, and fauna. Recent awareness of the environmental issues and the worldwide climate change spurred public interest in clean and environmentally friendly “green” energy generation. Solar energy is an abundant and inexhaustible resource that can meet much of the worlds’ energy needs and, thus, has been in the focus of scientific attention for many years. Yet, converting solar energy into usable electric power is a formidable engineering and economical challenge. The recent environmental awareness triggered governments and private companies around the world to encourage further research and capital investment into the development and deployment of efficient and cost-effective solar technologies. This review reports on advances in the technological approaches that can be employed to convert sunlight to electricity. This article presents a short survey of the state-of-the-art architectures of photovoltaic arrays and a review of the concepts and strategies of their associated electronic power processors for solar energy generation. The paper aims to be of assistance to engineers and scientists who are already engaged or just joining this fascinating field, to promote the knowledge of photovoltaic energy and facilitate the proliferation of the solar power generation systems.