Solar Inverter step-up transformers

need a new design approach

By Kathie Zipp | July 11, 2011
A word to the wise dont rely on using wind power transformers

It is often argued that there is nothing new under the sun, but when it comes to solar
power inverter step-up transformers, something new is required a new design
approach.

Large-scale wind farms are becoming a common site in the 21st century global
economy. We are bombarded with images of windmills in all forms of print, broadcast,
and electronic media while wind farms dot our rural landscape from coast to coast.
Solar conversion systems, while lagging behind the established green technologies,
are gaining acceptance in the emerging renewable energy marketplace. Most frequently
used in large-scale installations are photovoltaic (PV) systems, in which silicon dioxide
crystals use solar rays to generate current to a battery.

PV systems can create a challenge to finding ways to move evolving solar technology to
the same plane as the maturing wind power technologys contribution to the national
power grid.

At first glance, it might seem as if the typical wind turbine step-up transformer provides
the same functions as the step-up transformers connected to solar inverter systems and
so therefore could be used for solar systems. However, the severe duty that defines the
typical wind turbine step-up transformers operating environment is not the same as the
emerging photovoltaic solar conversion process, and the transformer needs to be very
different.

It is important to understand that renewable energy sources cannot use a standard, off-
the-shelf transformer, but neither can every renewable energy source use the same
transformer. Understanding how differences between the two energy sources affects
the transformer requirements can have a huge effect on costs for an installation, as well
as reliability. Consider these parameters, summarized in Table 1, when designing a
transformer for use in a wind power versus a solar system.
Loading Wind powered transformers experience variable loading due to wind gusts,
so a wind power transformer is designed to handle this lack of steady load, where it may
be expected to power up and down all the time. Wind shadows in a wind farm will
reduce the flow to some turbines, while others may be spinning very fast. Transformers
therefore see a constantly variable load. By contrast, solar power facilities experience a
steady state loading when inverters are operating. When the sun comes out, there is a
dampened reaction process and loading on the transformer is more constant.

Low voltage (LV) fault ride through Wind farms are difficult to stop and start quickly.
They are usually required by local regulations to stay online even during difficult
conditions when they may sustain faults. The amount of time they must stay online is
determined by those who run the grid; who want to avoid a voltage sag in their system.
The transformer may see severe duty during the fault, including severe mechanical and
electrical forces, and if it cannot sustain them, the transformer may fail. In order to keep
the transformer online, an LV fault ride through is required.

Fault ride through has largely not yet been defined for solar systems, and we have not
yet seen solar power systems with this requirement. This might be either because it is
easier to turn solar power systems on or off quickly than wind systems, or it might just
be that the technology is so young that regulatory requirements have not caught up. We
may see this changing in the future or it might be overlooked by regulators. In either
case, solar power transformers may address the issue of the low voltage fault ride
through differently than those of wind farms.

Harmonics Wind farms experience high levels of harmonics stemming from

unbalanced loads from rotating equipment and electronic controls. The extra load is not
part of the design load. The solar inverter systems typical harmonic content is less than
1%, which has almost no impact on the system. The lower harmonic profile is because
there are no generators and switching and protective controls such as those found on
wind turbines.

Generator step-up duty Transformers can be stepped up or stepped down and must
be appropriately designed to handle the very different and unique problems
encountered because of the current inrush that each type will experience. Generator
step-up duty is severe for wind transformers and must be specifically designed to meet
those requirements. A standard transformer will not hold up to that kind of duty. With
solar transformers, step-up duty is required, but without the problems associated with
over-voltages caused by unloaded generators. The inverter converts dc input from the
PV array and provides ac voltage to the transformer, giving a steady and smooth
transition, with no over-voltage caused by unloaded circuits.

Voltage The wind transformer is sized to operate at lower than the minimum voltage,
because it must often operate as a function of wind speed, which fluctuates widely.
However, it must provide the same amount of power at the lower voltage level, so it
must be designed for that consideration. Solar transformers operate at a steady voltage,
with the rated voltage controlled by inverters. Therefore, voltage and load fluctuations
are considerably reduced.

Nominal loading average Wind transformers operate across a very wide range of
loads, because the wind may be blowing very hard or not at all! In fact the average
nominal loading is about 35%. This loading presents a unique design problem, because
the wind transformer has to be designed to operate between widely divergent ranges.
Solar power systems typically operate very close to their rated loads.

Special design issues Solar power systems use inverters to convert dc to ac. Since
the largest practical inverter size, to date, is about 500 kVA, designers are building 1000
kVA transformers by placing two inverter-connected windings in one box. In this case,
the transformers have to have two separate windings to accept completely separate
inputs, which is not something encountered in a wind farm. Design issues also stem
from running cables long distances to convert from dc to ac.

Size of installation Wind farm sizes are increasing as generators increase output and
wind farms mature. As opportunities to install wind farms in optimum locations and
positions is reduced, it will become more and more important to get as much power out
of each installation as possible. We will likely see taller towers with bigger generators.
Recently the average wind installation is almost double the size of the original wind
installations. We are seeing larger and larger transformers being used in these
applications, ranging from 1500 to 5000 kVA. Established designs will be need to
change to meet adjustments in such variables as the size of the tower, generator, grid,
and transformer.
By contrast, the size of solar system is limited by inverter technology, since inverters
can currently only be built to about 500 kVA. Thus, nearly all solar applications use pairs
of 500 kVA inverters to drive the transformer, producing about 1000 kVA. Increasing the
size by adding more inverters into one transformer box is extremely difficult due to
complexities associated with the size of the box required and the practicalities of
running cabling to convert from dc to ac. Inverter technology has been slow to advance
because it is an electronic technology. It remains to be seen whether this comparative
disadvantage will be a fatal flaw in the advance of solar technology to the same level as
wind farms in the renewable energy arena.

The duty cycle seen in wind farms may be more severe than that of solar power
systems, but solar power has its share of special considerations that affect the
transformer design. Pay heed to these special needs to ensure that the solar installation
is cost effective and reliable.

-Mike Dickinson, Pacific Crest Transformers

www.pacificcresttrans.com