Dc bus for photovoltaic power supplying computing loads 4 th year Electronic Engineering Michael ikerionwu

Introduction Most renewable sources of electrical energy feed into an AC grid before being applied to supply different electrical loads Most renewable sources of electrical energy feed into an AC grid before being applied to supply different electrical loads For example DC power produced by domestic photovoltaic(PV) panels feeds into the grid through AC inverter. For example DC power produced by domestic photovoltaic(PV) panels feeds into the grid through AC inverter.

Aims To investigate if the efficiency of power delivered from a domestic PV installation supplying DC loads (such as computer or lighting led etc) can be improved by supplying such DC loads through a DC bus instead of through an AC grid connection. To investigate if the efficiency of power delivered from a domestic PV installation supplying DC loads (such as computer or lighting led etc) can be improved by supplying such DC loads through a DC bus instead of through an AC grid connection.

Milestones Milestone1 Review of domestic PV systems. Determine the power consumption of a range of DC loads. Determine the efficiency of power conversion from the AC grid to a typical load. Milestone 2 Investigate standard DC/DC topologies for the chosen load. Milestone 3 Build and test a standard DC/DC solution to illustrate the highest level of efficiency possible. Milestone 4 Design DC/DC converter for solar panel to DC bus conversion. Milestone 5 Build and test a DC/DC stage to demonstrate improved efficiency over a range of source and load conditions.

Work done so far Reseach on PV systems e.g panel characteristics and equivalent circuit. Reseach on PV systems e.g panel characteristics and equivalent circuit. Looked at power absorbed by different DC loads such as tv’s, computers, laptop, PS3...etc. Looked at power absorbed by different DC loads such as tv’s, computers, laptop, PS3...etc. Maximum power point tracking point at which circuits gets its maximum power. Maximum power point tracking point at which circuits gets its maximum power.

Work done so far cont. Install PSPICE and get use to it. Install PSPICE and get use to it. Look at rectifier circuit in PSPICE. Look at rectifier circuit in PSPICE. AC to DC conversion. AC to DC conversion. Basically covering the first milestone. Basically covering the first milestone.

PV panel circuit and characteristic

Maximum point tracking

Health and safety issues Test on power converters should only be performed under the supervision of a technician or project supervisor. Test on power converters should only be performed under the supervision of a technician or project supervisor.