Download Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations

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Photovoltaic Systems
System Components and
Configurations
Components • Electrical Energy
Sources • PVS System
Configurations
Arizona Solar Power Society
www.meetup.com/arizona-solar-power-society/
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
PV modules are
connected together to
form an array, which is
the primary DC powergenerating source and
principal component in
any PV system.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Since the supply of
energy from a PV array
rarely matches the
energy demand at a
given time, some type of
energy storage is usually
required.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
PV systems with battery
storage usually require
more than one battery. A
battery bank is a group of
batteries connected
together to provide a
specific voltage and
capacity.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Flywheel energy storage
systems convert and
store electrical energy as
kinetic (motion) energy in
the rotation of a heavy
rotor.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Supercapacitors store
energy by accumulating
a charge on pairs of thin
foil plates. The plates are
usually wrapped into a
cylinder shape.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Inverters convert DC
power from batteries or
arrays into AC power to
serve local loads or for
export to the utility grid.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Charge controllers
protect batteries in PV
systems from
overcharge or
excessive discharge.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Rectifiers and chargers make AC power from sources
such as the utility or engine generators available for
charging batteries or other DC loads.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Balance-of-system (BOS)
components include all
the additional mechanical
and electrical parts
needed to connect and
secure the major
components.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Engines use reciprocating pistons to create mechanical
power, which is then converted to electrical power in
the generator.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Engine generators are
usually installed as a
complete, integrated
package.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Gas turbines have separate compressor and turbine
sections that work together to send mechanical
power to a generator.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Wind turbines convert the
power of the wind into
electrical energy.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Fuel cells use reactants such as hydrogen and
oxygen in a process that transfers electrons, with only
water and heat as byproducts.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
The simplest type of PV
system is the directcoupled system,
consisting of only an
array and a DC load.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Self-regulating systems
avoid the complexity of
adding charge control
components by
precisely sizing the
battery and array.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Systems with charge
control regulate the
charging current into the
battery. Regulation may
involve disconnecting or
limiting the array current
or diverting the excess
current into an auxiliary
load.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Stand-alone systems for AC loads must include an
inverter, which draws DC power from the battery bank
and changes it to AC power for distribution.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
A utility-interactive system is controlled by the
inverter, which adds AC power converted from DC
power to the utility grid power at the main AC power
distribution panel.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Utility-interactive systems have either net-metering or
dual-metering arrangements for exporting electricity
to the utility grid.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Bimodal systems can
operate as either a
utility-interactive or a
stand-alone system.
Chapter 4 — System Components and Configurations
Hybrid systems include
power sources other than
the PV array and do not
interact with the utility
grid.