An optimization design for 5-kW centralized PV inverter to achieve 99% efficiency

Author

Cong Zheng ; Rui Chen ; Hongbo Ma ; Baifeng Chen ; Chien-Liang Chen ; Wensong Yu ; Jih-sheng Lai ; Faraci, Eric

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Virginia Polytech. Inst. & State Univ., Blacksburg, VA, USA

fYear

2013

fDate

17-21 March 2013

Firstpage

2967

Lastpage

2970

Abstract

In this paper, a 5-kW photovoltaic (PV) inverter with more than 99% peak efficiency is presented. The inverter utilizes two coupled inductors in one resonant pole to ensure the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) for main switches, and zero-current switching (ZCS) for auxiliary switches. Due to the favorable cooling and ease of fabrication characteristics, PCB planar magnetics are employed as the coupled resonant inductors. In addition, super-junction MosFETs with low on-state resistance is selected in order to reduce the inverter conduction loss. The optimization design of planar resonant inductors is described and verified by finite element analysis (FEA) software. During the experiment on the 5-kW inverter prototype, the temperature rise of planar inductors is below 15°C without fan cooling at full load.

Keywords

finite element analysis; inductors; invertors; photovoltaic power systems; power MOSFET; printed circuits; switching convertors; zero voltage switching; PCB planar magnetics; ZCS; ZVS; auxiliary switches; centralized photovoltaic inverter; coupled resonant inductors; fan cooling; finite element analysis; inverter conduction loss; optimization design; planar resonant inductors; power 5 kW; resonant pole; superjunction MOSFET; zero current switching; zero voltage switching; Soft-switching inverter; ac resistance; efficiency improvement; planar resonant inductor;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), 2013 Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE

Conference_Location

Long Beach, CA

ISSN

1048-2334

Print_ISBN

978-1-4673-4354-1

Electronic_ISBN

1048-2334

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/APEC.2013.6520720

Filename

6520720