Dual-output photovoltaic inverter applied in reverse osmosis desalination

Photovoltaic reverse osmosis desalination has great significance not only in solving fresh water shortage, but also in providing a new way for solar energy utilization, especially in the remote area where electricity is unavailable. As one of the most important components of photovoltaic powered reverse osmosis desalination (PVRO) system, the design and application of inverter directly affect the whole system performance. In this paper, a new kind of dual-output photovoltaic inverter was designed to drive the lift pump and high pressure pump in the reverse osmosis device and control the rotational speed of pumps in accordance with the variation of solar radiation to realize the maximum power point tracking (MPPT). An experimental PVRO system was also built to evaluate the performance of the inverter. Furthermore, a practical optimization model is proposed to provide useful reference for the configuration and optimal design of PVRO systems.