SOLAR DG HYBRID

SYNCHRONIZATION OF DG SETS

Synchronizing panel is used where one DG set is synchronizing with two or more DG
set .When mains fail all DGs start at a time but after some time one will be on & other
will be stop as per load when load increased above 70% of the total load the second
DG will be start & it synchronize with first one & total load was distributed equally On
that two dg set & This process will go on. The logic can be user defined .
CONDITIONS FOR DG SYNC
PROTECTIONS FOR PARALLEL OPERATIONS
 WHAT SHOULD BE MINIMUM LOAD FOR DG SETS

Operating a diesel generator set at load levels less than 30 percent of rated output for extended time
periods impacts the unit negatively. The most prevalent consequence is engine exhaust slobber, which is
also known as exhaust manifold slobber or wet stacking. Engine slobber is a black, oily liquid that can leak
from exhaust manifold joints due to extended low- or no-load scenarios.

Running at high idle with little or no load reduces the heat in the cylinder, allowing unburned fuel and oil
deposits to leak through the exhaust slip joints. Visible slobber does not necessarily indicate a problem with
an engine, but it signals possible underloading concerns, low ambient temperatures or low jacket water
temperature. In most circumstances, engine slobber alone, while unsightly, will not immediately harm an
engine.

However, slobber is a sign of underloading and could be an indication of other underloading effects. Long
periods of light loading can lead to deposit build-up behind the piston rings, deposits developing inside the
cylinders and, in extreme cases, cylinder liner polishing can occur. These conditions can lead to power
losses, poor performance and accelerated wear of components, which can cause increased maintenance
costs and unplanned downtime or failure.
 PV - DG SYNC.
Power cuts are very common in developing countries like India. It is quite natural that under
such circumstances, a solar rooftop owner will try to consume all the power generated through
solar and reduce his dependence on diesel as fuel. However, the problem begins when the grid
tie inverter fails to start without the reference voltage and frequency parameters that are non-
existent during power cuts. As a result, the rooftop owner cannot use the solar power
generated. This is disappointing because, they consider solar as a backup for power cuts and
for payback through sale of excess power generated. The only existing solutions in the market
today are off grid inverters that come with bulky battery banks which are very expensive
compared to direct grid connected inverters. Similarly, hybrid inverters are also expensive
compared to grid tie inverters hence payback or ROI gets prolonged, making it a financially
less- viable option.

Smart power management – Using PLC

What about installations with existing grid tie inverters? Most of the rooftop owners are not
aware of these islanding conditions and most of the EPC COMPANIES just install existing grid
inverters without the alteration proposed below.

The grid inverters are usually connected to a common distribution bus bar (India –
3phase/1phase, 415V/230V). In this proposal all sources such as grid, diesel generators,
battery backup inverters and solar grid inverters can be connected along with the load on a
common bus bar.

What usually happens during power failure is, the grid inverters trips sensing loss of reference
parameters and stops generation, now the DG sense this situation and switches ON to support
the load automatically with help of AMF panels. Once the generator switches on, this creates a
reference voltage and frequency on the common bus bar and this starts up the solar grid
inverters (we actually deceive the GT inverters here).

Once the inverter is ON, the load will be supplied by both GT inverter and DG sets (at low RPM).
Is it practically possible to synchronize a grid tie inverter with a diesel generator (DG sets) and
make it work? That is during a power failure or when grid power is not available?
Yes, it is possible. Following are the conditions at which it is possible

 We have a stable/good quality generator which gives good steady voltage and frequency.
 The generator should not sag, dip or create any surge current when the inverter turns
ON during the above mentioned condition.

Let us now consider that the inverter has turned ON using the DG sets reference voltage and
frequency from the generator. There are two possible conditions now,

1. The load is always more than the PV generator supply

2. Load can be less than PV generator supply

During the condition 1, no issues will occur, if everything works fine. But during the condition 2,
the power generated from PV will be greater than the load requirements and hence there is a
possibility that this excess power will be fed back to the DG sets (stator of DG sets). What will
happen under this situation? This condition can damage the vital parts of the generator so the
protection of generators becomes very critical and make it work as a motor (reducing its speed).
We can expect an increase in AC line voltage above critical level. If this happens, the condition
can trip the inverter due to over-voltage/frequency protection circuits. Now the rooftop owner
cannot consume power from the solar and therefore he is forced to operate the DG sets.

How to custom design a smart power management system to use the solar generator during the
condition 2 and also protect the DG sets? We also foresee very high requirement for an
effective control system, which can handle all the above conditions such as DG protection

 Using a dump load to remove the surplus power generated with help of an effective control
system.
 Effective control of loads (To increase or decrease the load as per requirements using PLC
based controls)
 And also include a reverse power relay to protect the diesel generators from back
feeding/reverse currents.
 Basic requirements for SYNCING SOLAR PV POWER WITH DG SETS.
1. Solar power should be tapped on a common busbar receiving Grid power, DG
power and Solar Power.
2. Size of DG power in KW should be minimum 1.5 times w.r.t Solar PV plant AC
power to avoid back feeding.
3. 30% loading should be on DG all the time, as soon the load drops below 30% DG
should be made
off.
4. When we do DG sync we only regulate our solar PV plant generation w.r.t to load
in such a way that Solar Generation is always lesser than client load with a
minimum 30% on DG else motoring will happen .

There are reputed solution providers like DEIF who provide DG sync solution along with third
party solution providers.