A review on modulation techniques of Quasi-Z-source inverter for grid-connected photovoltaic systems

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) is a promising way to meet the increasing global energy demand due to its sustainability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. For the wide-scale adoption of PV systems, converters with reliable input sources, stable control strategies and appropriate modulation techniques must be designed. In the literature, various modulation techniques have been developed that help to boost the voltage of the PV modules by implementing shoot-through (ST) in which the upper and lower switches of an inverter conduct simultaneously and short-circuit occurs. Various optimised modulation techniques have been implemented to enhance its performance. Among those, the quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) has attracted much attention due to its ability to achieve higher conversion ratios for grid-connected PV applications. In this paper, a detailed comparison of the modulation schemes for the qZSI PV systems has been done to understand the trade-off and select the most suitable approach. Upon the selection of the space vector modulation with unique switching sequences and rearranging upper ST and lower ST states, the inverter can achieve ST with reduced switching losses. Furthermore, a 600 VA three-phase grid-connected system utilizing a three-level neutral-point-clamped qZSI topology is modulated and simulated. It has been demonstrated that the constant boost control offers good performance in terms of reduced voltage stresses on switches, lower total harmonic distortion, and hence, higher efficiency.

Keywords

• Modulation techniques
• Three-level, three-phase
• Quasi-Z-source
• Neutral-point-clamped
• Shoot-through
• Photovoltaic (PV) systems