SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC TECHNOLOGY [SS-2022]

Section-B
Unit-2 Stand Alone PV System
1. SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF STANDALONE PV SYSTEM:
The system which utilizes only solar electric energy as main source of energy is referred as
standalone solar electrical system. There are many locations on this earth where no source
of electricity is available. At these locations standalone solar electrical system can be the ideal
source of electricity. The main advantage of this system is that it does not depend on grid or
any other source of electricity.

As it does not have any connection with grid or other electric supply line, it is also known as
off-grid Photovoltaic system. As the sun is the only source of energy in this system it should
have some means to make it active even in night times. A storage battery system does the
job. Therefore, a storage battery system is an essential component of standalone solar
system. But, often this battery system can be omitted from the system if the system is
dedicated for the load which to be operated in day times only. Popular examples of
standalone solar system are solar lanterns, solar home lighting systems, solar water pumping
systems, etc.

2. TYPES OF STANDALONE SOLAR SYSTEMS:

➢ Standalone Solar (PV) system with only DC load

➢ Standalone Solar (PV) system with DC load and Electronics control circuitry

➢ Standalone Solar (PV) system with DC load, Electronics control circuitry and Battery

➢ Standalone Solar (PV) system with AC/DC load, Electronics control circuitry and Battery.

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3. COMPONENTS OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM:

Batteries – Batteries are an important element in any stand alone PV system but can be optional
depending upon the design. Batteries are used to store the solar-produced electricity for night time
or emergency use during the day. Depending upon the solar array configuration, battery banks can be
of 12V, 24V or 48V and many hundreds of amperes in total.

Charge Controller – A charge controller regulates and controls the output from the solar array to
prevent the batteries from being over charged (or over discharged) by dissipating the excess power
into a load resistance. Charge controllers within a stand alone PV system are optional but it is a good
idea to have one for safety reasons.

Fuses and Isolation Switches – These allow PV installations to be protected from accidental shorting
of wires allowing power from the PV modules and system to be turned “OFF” when not required saving
energy and improving battery life.

Inverter – The inverter can be another optional unit in a stand alone system. Inverters are used to
convert the 12V, 24V or 48 Volts direct current (DC) power from the solar array and batteries into an
alternating current (AC) electricity and power of either 120 VAC or 240 VAC for use in the home to
power AC mains appliances such as TV’s, washing machines, freezers, etc.

Wiring – The final component required in and PV solar system is the electrical wiring. The cables need
to be correctly rated for the voltage and power requirements. Thin telephone or bell wire will not
work!

4. BATTERY IN STAND ALONE PV SYSTEM:

Batteries are needed because of the fluctuating nature of the output being delivered by the PV panels
or array. They also convert the electrical energy into stored chemical energy for use when the solar
array is not producing power. During the hours of sunshine, the PV system is directly fed to the load,
with excess electrical energy being stored in the batteries for later use. During the night, or during a
period of low solar irradiance, such as a cloudy, rainy days, energy is supplied to the load from the
battery.
So battery storage allows a stand alone PV system to be run when the solar panels are not producing
enough energy on their own with the battery storage size tied to the electrical usage. There are
basically two types of batteries used for solar energy storage: deep cycle batteries and shallow cycle
batteries.
Deep cycle lead acid batteries are generally used to store the solar power generated by the PV panels,
and then discharge the power when energy is required. Deep cycle batteries are not only
rechargeable, but they are designed to be repeatedly discharged almost all the way down to a very
low charge.
Comprised of solid lead plates, it’s not uncommon for deep cycle batteries to be emptied to as much
as 20% of their total capacity before energy ceases flowing from the battery or the charge controller
disconnects them from the solar system. Deep cycle solar batteries are used in most electrically
powered vehicles such as golf carts and forklift trucks.

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Deep cycle batteries are ideally designed for storing energy generated by a stand alone PV system and
then being drawn upon for power on a consistent, daily basis.

5. CHARGE CONDITIONERS IN STANT ALONE PV SYSTEM:

In applications, where batteries are used, it is critical to prevent overcharging or deep discharging of
the batteries to preserve their life and to ensure good performance. This is achieved by what is called
charge controllers.

Charge controllers regulate the charging and discharging of battery. A charge controller senses
the voltage of the battery [or ‘state of charge’ (SoC)] and decides either to disconnect it from
the source (PV array in this case) to prevent it from overcharging or to disconnect the load
(from the battery output) to prevent deep discharging.

Such controllers are mainly used where loads are unpredictable and the batteries are optimised
or undersized to minimise the initial cost. The charge control algorithm has set points (threshold
values) depending upon which it takes decisions.

Voltage Regulation (VR) set point: It is the maximum voltage up to which a battery can be charged
(without getting overcharged). If this threshold is reached, the controller either disconnects the battery
from the source or starts regulating the current delivered to the battery.

Voltage Regulation Hysteresis (VRH): It is the difference between VR and the voltage at which the
controller reconnects the battery to the PV source and starts charging. If VRH is too small, it will result
in tighter voltage regulation but the control will be oscillatory and may deteriorate the battery life. At
the same time, a large value of VRH may lead to ‘slight’ overcharging of battery during every cycle.
So, in practice, there is a trade-off. VRH also determines how effectively the controller can charge the
battery.

Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD): It is the minimum voltage up-to which the battery can be allowed to
discharge, without getting deep discharged. It is also defined as the maximum Depth of Discharge
(DoD) of the battery. The charge controller disconnects the load from the battery terminals as soon as
the battery voltage touches LVD to prevent it from over-discharging.

Low Voltage Disconnect Hysteresis (LVDH): It is the difference between LVD value and the battery
voltage at which the load can be reconnected to the battery terminals. LVDH is not kept too small, or
else the load will be switched on and off more frequently, which can adversely affect battery and the
load.

Most charge controllers are a variation of one these four basic types:
➢ Shunt Regulator.

➢ Series Regulator.

➢ PWM Regulator.

➢ MPPT Charge Controller.

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Fig. Solar charge controller

6. BALANCE OF SYSTEM COMPONENTS FOR DC AND AC APPLICATIONS:

The term balance of system, often just simply abbreviated as BOS, includes many components
that are part of a solar power system. Commonly, these are:

➢ Cables and Wires

Depending on the configuration there may also be solar trackers, solar energy concentrators,
energy meters and monitors.

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Better than enumerating all that is included in the balance of the system, BOS can also simply
sum up as ‘anything which is (somehow) part of a PV solar power system, and is not a solar
module, inverter or a battery, is part of the balance of the system’.

7. WATER PUMPING:
Water pumping is one of the simplest and most appropriate uses for photovoltaic. From crop irrigation
to stock watering to domestic uses, photovoltaic-powered pumping systems meet a broad range of
water needs. Most of these systems have the added advantage of storing water for use when the sun
is not shining, eliminating the need for batteries, enhancing simplicity and reducing overall system
costs. Many people considering installing a solar water pumping system are put off by the expense.

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There are two basic types of solar-powered water pumping systems, battery-coupled and direct-
coupled. A variety of factors must be considered in determining the optimum system for a particular
application.

Battery-coupled water pumping systems consist of photovoltaic (PV) panels, charge control regulator,
batteries, pump controller, pressure switch and tank and DC water pump (Figure 3). The electric
current produced by PV panels during daylight hours charges the batteries, and the batteries in turn
supply power to the pump anytime water is needed. The use of batteries spreads the pumping over a
longer period of time by providing a steady operating voltage to the DC motor of the pump. Thus,
during the night and low light periods, the system can still deliver a constant source of water for
livestock.

In direct-coupled pumping systems, electricity from the PV modules is sent directly to the pump, which
in turn pumps water through a pipe to where it is needed (Figure 4). This system is designed to pump
water only during the day. The amount of water pumped is totally dependent on the amount of
sunlight hitting the PV panels and the type of pump. Because the intensity of the sun and the angle at
which it strikes the PV panel changes throughout the day, the amount of water pumped by this system
also changes throughout the day. For instance, during optimum sunlight periods (late morning to late
afternoon on bright sunny days) the pump operates at or near 100 percent efficiency with maximum
water flow. However, during early morning and late afternoon, pump efficiency may drop by as much
as 25 percent or more under these low-light conditions. During cloudy days, pump efficiency will drop
off even more. To compensate for these variable flow rates, a good match between the pump and PV
module(s) is necessary to achieve efficient operation of the system.

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