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ACTIVE AND REACTIVE POWER CONTROL OF

GRID-TIED THREE PHASE INVERTER FOR PV
SYSTEMS

Article in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy August 2016

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.04.020

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 ACTIVE AND REACTIVE POWER CONTROL OF GRID-TIED THREE
PHASE INVERTER FOR PV SYSTEMS

Harun zbay 1, Selim nc 2, Metin Kesler 3

1
Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Department of Electric, Vocational High School, Gulumbe Campus, 11000,
Bilecik, Turkey
2
Karabuk University, Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Demir-Celik
Campus, 78000, Karabuk, Turkey
3
Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Department of Computer Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Gulumbe
Campus, 11000, Bilecik, Turkey

Abstract

This study presents a DSP based active and reactive power control scheme consisting of a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) and
grid-tied three phase inverter to transfer the maximum possible power from Photovoltaic (PV) panels for grid system. The first
subsystem consists of a current controlled boost converter to track MPPT. The second subsystem consists of a grid-tied three phase full
bridge DC/AC inverter to transfer the maximum power to grid system. In this study, grid tied system with PV generation is designed to
have photovoltaic power conversion with MPPT and active/reactive power flow. In the system Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm
is used in order to transfer maximum power from PV panels and Phase Locked Loop (PLL) control algorithm is used to synchronize
the grid. This study also presents active and reactive power control system for the grid-tied three phase inverter. The performance of
the MPPT, PLL and Active/Reactive Power controllers are developed by simulation in PSIM under different solar radiation levels.

Keywords: Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT), Power flow control, Grid-Tied Three Phase Inverter, Digital Signal Processor
(DSP), Phase Locked Loop (PLL).

1. Introduction

Nowadays, the PV energy is one of the most popular renewable energy sources [1]. Photovoltaic systems are widely used
in many fields such as utility interactive inverters, irrigation systems, farm houses, buildings away from the grid, space
vehicles and military applications [2,3]. Although generating energy using PV panels has many advantageous, the
efficiency of the panels is low depending on the environmental factors such as temperature, radiation level, shading, and
dirt. Therefore, it becomes important to transfer maximum available power from PV panels. A DC-DC converter is used
between the PV generator and the load to transfer the maximum possible power [4,5]. P&O method is the most widely
used MPPT methods due to its simplicity, practicality and high efficiency. Moreover, the most important advantage of
this method is that it is independent from some factors such as PV characteristic, temperature and radiation level in
achieving MPP [6,7].
The multifunctional grid-tied inverters have been also researched, although early studies about the grid-tied inverters are
carried out by injecting only the active power to the grid [8-11]. The operation modes of inverters are as follows: (1)
Providing available maximum active power to the grid. (2) Provide reactive power according to the grid voltage. (3)
Provide available maximum reactive power to the grid. (4) The reactive power and power factor are determined by grid
authority [12]. Controls of grid-tied PV systems are comprehensive process which includes DC to DC transform,
maximum power tracking control, grid-tied inverter technology and all of the system optimization [13]. In addition, the
PLL is needed to sense the grid current and voltage, such as the frequency, amplitude and phase angle, for managing all
system [14]. In literature, different control strategies for three phase grid-tied of PV modules have been largely interested
in the last few years [15-19].
This study presents the PSIM simulation of a DSP based active and reactive power flow control algorithm for a grid-tied
three-phase PV inverter. Maximum power transfer is achieved with boost converter and P&O algorithm. The phase angle
of the grid is detected by using PLL algorithm in d-q reference frame. In the proposed system, boost converter tracks the
MPP and injected current to grid is controlled by the three phase inverter. Furthermore, the inverter can inject necessary
pure inductive or capacitive reactive power to the grid. The output power control of the system is carried out and the
results are evaluated.

Corresponding Author: harun.ozbay@bilecik.edu.tr

 ECRES 4th European Conference on Renewable Energy Systems, Istanbul, TURKEY, 28-31 August 2016

2. MPPT and System Modeling

2.1. MPPT Algorithm

Many MPPT techniques have been developed recently in order to determine the maximum power point (MPP). MPPT
techniques are classified into four groups as intelligent methods, direct calculation methods, IC methods P&O methods in
terms of PV panel dependency, true MPPT, periodic adjustment, tracking speed and complexity. P&O are the most
widely used MPPT techniques due to high accuracy at MPP [20]. In P&O method, PV panel power is calculated by
measuring the PV voltage/current and compared with the previous one. The operating point of the converter is changed
according to the power measurements. If the power increases, perturbation direction is not changed. Otherwise,
perturbation direction is reversed. This process will be applied until MPP is achieved.

2.2. Description and Modeling of Proposed System

The overall block diagram of the proposed system consisting of the PV generator, the MPPT control algorithm, the PLL
and P/Q control algorithm, the boost converter and the three phase inverter The voltage of nine series connected PV
panels is increased with the boost converter and is applied to three phase inverter. The boost converter and the three phase
inverter are controlled at 10 kHz. In the proposed system the controller is simulated in PSIM software and is based on
embedded code in C language for TMS320F28335 DSP processor. [21]. The embedded code contains overall the scaled
sensing functions. The proposed system also uses dq0 transformation equations, a PLL algorithm that maintains the
synchronization with the grid and active/reactive power calculation. The voltages of grid and currents of grid are
transformed abc to a dq frame by Park transformation (1) and t of the generated with PLL.

sin(t) sin(t 2 / 3) sin(t + 2 / 3)
2
=T cos(t) cos(t 2 / 3) cos(t + 2 / 3) (1)
3
1 1 1
2 2 2
The voltage equations, the current equations, the active power and the reactive power equations of a three-phase grid-tied
inverter can be defined as (2), (3), (4) and (5) in the d-q frame respectively [22].

a
d
= T b (2)
q c

ia
i d i
i = T b (3)
q ic

3
P= ( d i d + q i q ) (4)
2
3
Q= ( q i d d i q ) (5)
2
In the proposed system, Pref is defined by the MPPT algorithm according to the available PV power. The required DC
bus voltage is generated by P&O method and the boost converter and so MPPT is achieved.

4. PSIM Simulation Results

The proposed system is simulated in PSIM. Figure 1 shows the PSIM schematic of the proposed system.
1m
V

S 0.1 2m
P S
4700u
4700u

25

2
 ECRES 4th European Conference on Renewable Energy Systems, Istanbul, TURKEY, 28-31 August 2016

3-ph PWM
SV PWM u up Q1
un Q2
Vpv Vpv Vpv ADC
A0 D0 v vp Q3
Vdc Vdc Vdc A1 D1 vn Q4
A2 D2
Va Va Va A3 D3 out w wp Q5
A4 D4
SCI wn Q6
Vb Vb Vb A5 D5 out F28335
A6 D6 F28335 SCI V 1-ph PWM
Vc Vc Vc A7 D7
B0 D8 F28335 A Qb
DSP Ipv B1 D9 out B
Clock B2 D10
B3 D11
SCI F28335
out
F28335 Ia B4 D12 F28335 SCI
B5 D13 out
SCI B6 D14 F28335 SCI
Config Ib B7 D15 out
F28335 SCI
F28335 F28335
Ic F28335
DIN
D0 D0 DOUT
D1 D1 Start 1
D0 D0
PWM z
D2 D2 D1 D1
Start_Stop D3 D3 10 D2 D2
F28335
D4 D4 Start D3 D3
D5 D5 D4 D4
D6 D6 PWM D5 D5
3 D7 D7 D6 D6
F28335
F28335 Stop D7 D7
PWM F28335
F28335
Stop
PWM
F28335
Figure 1. PSIM circuit of the proposed system

Solar radiation varies throughout the day. Simulation results carried out at 300-600-900 W/m solar radiation levels are
shown in Fig 2. Duty cycle of the boost converter is changed between 10-70% to track the MPP at 10 kHz. Therefore, the
maximum power extracted from PV panels even during the rapid climate changes is tracked by P&O MPPT algorithm.
The algorithm also generates Pref reference for three phase inverter. Simulation results for the inverter current at 300-
600-900 W/m solar radiation levels are shown in Figure 3.

Pmax Pref

1600
1400
300W/m2 600W/m2 900W/m2
1200
1000
800
600
400
200

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Time (s)

Figure 2. Simulation results of power tracking of P&O MPPT under 300-600-900 W/m solar radiation

Ia Ib Ic

15
10
5
0
-5
-10
-15
-20 300W/m2 600W/m2 900W/m2
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Time (s)
Figure 3. Simulation results of the three phase inverter current

In the first scenario of the simulation, the proposed system carried out under different solar radiation (S) and at no
reactive power operation. The waveforms of the first scenario are shown in Figure 6 and Figure 3. In the second scenario
of the simulation, waveforms of the proposed system under different solar radiation, but different reactive powers are
shown in Figure 4. The waveforms of absorb or inject reactive power (Q) and three-phase grid currents also are shown in
Figure 4. At the start, the Qref is fixed to 0 VAR.
In the second scenario first test, at time 20ms, the PWM generator is started with 300 W/m2 solar radiation. At time
200ms, the solar radiation is rapidly changed from 300 to 600 W/m2. At time 300ms, the Qref is rapidly changed from 0
to 600 VAR lagging (inductive) reactive power. Finally at time 350ms, the solar radiation is rapidly changed from 600 to
900 W/m2.

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 ECRES 4th European Conference on Renewable Energy Systems, Istanbul, TURKEY, 28-31 August 2016

In the second scenario, at time 350ms, the Qref is rapidly changed from 0 to -1000 VAR leading (capacitive) reactive
power. The waveforms of the first test are shown in Figure 4 (a) and the waveforms of the second test are shown in
Figure 4 (b). The proposed system controller responds to the commands of active power and reactive power in less than
2ms time. The proposed system controller performance is shown in the detailed version of the PSIM simulation results in
Figure 4 (a) and (b).

Pgrid Pmax Pref VAR Pgrid Pmax Pref VAR

2000 2K
1.5K
1500
1K
1000 0.5K

500 0K
-0.5K
0
-1K
-500 -1.5K

Ia Ib Ic Ia Ib Ic

15 15
10 10
5 5
0 0

-5 -5

-10 -10

-15 -15

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 100 200 300 400 500
Time (s) Time (ms)
Ia Ib Ic Va/4 Ia Ib Ic Va/4

20 20

10 10

0 0

-10 -10

-20 -20

0.275 0.3 0.325 0.275 0.3 0.325

Time (s) Time (s)
(a) (b)
Figure 4. Verification of the proposed controller using PSIM for various solar radiation and various Qref.
(a) First test results (Qref=600VAR Lagging) (b) Second Test Results(Qref= -1000VAR Leading)

5. Conclusions

In this study DSP based active and reactive power flow control of grid-tied three-phase inverter is achieved for PV
generations system. Maximum available power is transferred with boost converter and MPPT algorithm. The proposed
controller also receives an active power command from the MPPT algorithm. Furthermore, if it is necessary the utility
grid sends a reactive power command. According to simulation results, the proposed system is quite strong for active
power and reactive power tuning capacity. The proposed system also has low current harmonics, soft transition and fast
response to MPPT control. The performance of proposed control method is verified for different active/reactive powers
and radiation levels with PSIM simulation circuit and control blocks.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by TUBITAK Research Fund (No: 115E104) and Karabuk University Research Fund (No:
14/2-DR-017).

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