| Abstract |
This paper presents the design and the implementation of distributed, series connected DC/AC microconverters in a multi panel/cell photovoltaic system for stand-alone applications. The proposed topology is based on the direct, low voltage DC/AC energy conversion at PV panel/cell level using micro-inverters, integrated in a standard CMOS ASIC. In such a way, they can be physically implemented into the junction box on the backside of each PV module, replacing the bypass diodes. This approach maximizes the amount of harvested energy thanks to the single stage conversion architecture and the individual maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each PV module. Among other advantages, this distributed approach benefits from interleaved control strategies allowing down scaling of the volume of the output inductor and the EMI filters and offering an increased apparent switching frequency and a reduced current ripple. The experimental validation of the approach is carried out with a string of four low power PV tiles (10W). |
