Grid Integration of Solar PV Power Generating

System Using QPLL Based Control Algorithm

Bhim Singh, Fellow, IEEE, Shailendra Dwivedi, Ikhlaq Hussain, Student Member, IEEE
and Arun Kumar Verma, Member, IEEE
Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi-110016, India
Email: bsingh@ee.iitd.ac.in, er.dwivedi88@gmail.com, ikhlaqb@gmail.com and arunverma59@gmail.com
AbstractThis paper deals with the grid integration of a
double stage solar photovoltaic (SPV) power generating system
using two-quadrature PLL (QPLL) based control, which also
mitigates power quality problems in three phase, three wire
distribution system. The proposed solar PV grid interfaced
system consists of solar PV array, dc-dc boost converter, voltage
source converter (VSC) and connected linear/nonlinear loads.
The maximum power is tracked from SPV array using
incremental conductance maximum power point tracking
(MPPT) technique. The proposed solar PV power generating
system provides load balancing, eliminates harmonics, corrects
the power factor, and regulates at PCC (Point of Common
Coupling) voltages under different loads. The proposed system is
modeled and simulated in the MATLAB/Simulink and results are
shown to validate the design and control algorithm.
KeywordsSolar photovoltaic, QPLL, MPPT, control, power
quality, grid interfaced.

I.

INTRODUCTION

With increasing global warming and increasing demand

for electrical energy, solar photovoltaic (PV) power generating
system is popular technology to overcome the power quality
energy problems by integrating clean power to ac grid with
improved power quality [1]. The power quality (PQ) problems
are dominant in the grid due to various nonlinear loads in the
distribution system. The various problems that affect the
power quality are poor voltage regulation, poor power factor,
and reactive power at ac mains [2].
A solar PV generating systems range from small, buildingintegrated systems or roof-top mounted to large utility-scale
power plants. Today, most PV power generating systems are
integrated to the grid. Many double stage solar PV systems
have been reported in the literature [3-4]. In the double stage
systems, a boost converter with maximum power point
tracking (MPPT) is used to boost the solar PV array voltage to
required dc bus voltage. Tracking the maximum power from
solar PV array is also a challenging work and several methods
of MPPT such as variable step incremental resistance (INR)
method, Gauss-Newton technique, adaptive fuzzy, P&O,
adaptive perturbation and observation, incremental
conductance, etc have been reported in the literature [5].
For the integration of solar PV power generating to the
grid, the various control techniques such as SRF (synchronous
reference frame), power balance theory, etc have been
reported in the literature [3-4]. Making the robust and fast

control is challenging task for the reliable operation of the grid

interfaced systems.
In this paper, quadrature PLL (QPLL) based control
algorithm is proposed for a double stage solar PV grid
interfaced power generating system which is used for power
factor correction (PFC), harmonics elimination, and load
balancing. The proposed quadrature PLL (QPLL) based
control algorithm estimates the quadrature-phase and in-phase
amplitudes of the fundamental component load current [6].
The proposed system using QPLL based control algorithm
is designed, modeled and its performance is simulated in
MATLAB for PFC along with compensation of harmonics
current and balancing of different loads.
II.

DESIGN OF PROPOSED SYSTEM

The design of proposed 50 kW solar PV grid interfaced

power generating system as shown in Fig. 1, is given in terms
of solar PV array, dc-dc boost converter, dc bus capacitor and
interfacing inductors as follows. The detailed design data of
proposed system is given in Appendices.
A.

Design of Solar PV Array

The proposed system is designed for the peak power
capacity of 50 kW rated at 415 V ac grid. A solar PV module
has short circuit module current (Isc) of 3.8 A and open circuit
module voltage (Vocn) of 21 V.
The maximum power for SPV array is given as,
Pmp = (ns*Vmp)*(np*Imp) = 50 kW

(1)

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of proposed grid interfaced solar PV power

generating system

where ns and np represent series and parallel strings of PV

module, Vmp is the voltage of a module at MPPT,

Imp is the current of a module at MPPT and P mp is the nominal

power of a module at MPPT.
The Pmp is generally achieved under the condition given as,
Pmp = (ns*85% of Vocn * np*85 % of Isc) = 50 kW

(2)

Thus, Imp is 3.3 A and Vmp is 17 V of each module.

Considering, PV array open circuit voltage (VOCT) = 700 V.
The PV modules connected in series string are estimated as,
VOCT = ns * Vocn, thus ns = 700/21 = 34 Modules

(3)

Maximum current of the PV array is given as,

Imp = Pmp / (0.85 * VOCT) = 84.03 A
The PV modules connected in parallel string are estimated as,
Imp = np*Isc, thus np = 23 Modules

(4)

Thus the array of 50 kW peak power capacity is designed with

23 modules in parallel and 34 modules in series with an PV
array of 23*34 modules [7].
B.

Design of DC-DC Boost Converter

The ripple current for inductor at D = 0.2 is given as [2],
V D
595*0.2
Lb MPP
2.36 mH
I1 f sw (5.042*10000)

(5)

Voltage
The design of dc link voltage Vdc is given as [2],

2VLL

= 2

2 * 415

= 713.27 700 V

D.

Selection of AC Inductor
The ac inductor (Lf ) value is calculated on the basis that
current ripple i, switching frequency fs, vdc and is as [2],

3mvdc
3 *0.95*700
Lf

2.3mH
12hf s i 12*1.2*104 *(0.05*71.43)

(7)

where i, = 5% of input current, fs = 10 kHz, h is overloading

factor and is taken as 1.2. Thus Lf is selected as 2.3 mH.
E.

Design of DC Link Capacitor

The dc link capacitor value is estimated as [2],
Cdc

( Pdc / vdc )

2* * v
dcrip

A. MPPT Control
There are so many algorithms to track the MPP. Some are
simple which are based on current or voltage feedback and
some are more complicated. P&O is simple as compared to
incremental conductance [5]. According to the structure of
MPPT, the required parameters are voltage and current
feedback signal. The maximum power point is obtained when
dppv/dvpv = 0, the slope of the dppv/dvpv = 0 can be calculated by
output voltage and output current. Moreover, it can be given
as,
(n)

(50 *10 / 700)

= 5416.2 F (8)
2*314 *0.03*700

where is angular frequency and vdcrip is % ripple voltage

considered as 3% of vdc.

p pv (n) p pv (n 1)
v pv (n) v pv (n 1)

, where p pv (n) v pv (n) i pv (n)

(9)

B. Control of VSC
Fig. 2(a) and (b) shows the control algorithm for the
estimation of in-phase and quadrature voltage templates and
extraction of the fundamental component of load current.
These fundamental components are used to extract load
current real power and reactive power components. These real
and reactive components of load currents are used to generate
reference currents. Three phase sensed voltages (vsa, vsb, vsc),
load currents (ila, ilb, ilc), and Vdc of VSC are main parameters
of the control algorithm.
Amplitude of PCC voltage (Vt) is estimated as,
Vt {(2 / 3)(vsa2 vsb2 vsc2 )}

(6)

3m
3 * 0.95
where VLL is the VSC ac line voltage, m is modulation index.

CONTROL ALGORITHM

There are mainly two stages of proposed SPV system. First

stage to extract the maximum power from SPV array by using
dc-dc boost converter and second stage is to control a grid
interfaced VSC which is also operating as a shunt aactive
filter. The details of control algorithm is as follows.

dv pv

Design and Selection of DC Capacitor

vdc =

III.

dp pv

where I1 is input current ripple, and it is considered as 6 % of

dc-dc boost converter inductor current I 1 (PMPP/ VMPP) = 84.03
A. Thus a calculated value of I1 is 5.042 A.
Thus the inductance (Lb) value is selected as 2.4 mH.
C.

Hence estimated value of dc link capacitor C dc is 5416.2 F

and it is selected as 7000 F.

(10)

The in phase unit templates of PCC voltage are estimated as

follows,
w pa

vsa vsb
v v
v v
w pb sb sc , wpc sc sa
,
3Vt
3Vt
3Vt

(11)

The unit templates in quadrature with grid voltages vsa, vsb and
vsc are derived from wpa, wpb and wpc, as,
wpb wpc
3wpa w pb
wpc
wqa

, wqb
,
3
3
2 3 2 3 2 3
3w pa wpb wpc
wqc

(12)
2 3 2 3 2 3
1) Estimation of Fundamental
Active and Reactive
Components of Load Currents
The fundamental component of load current is estimated as
output of QPLL. Performance of the QPLL is controlled with
three controlling constants given as G1, G2, and G3. The
QPLL computes the magnitude, phase and frequency of the
input load current signals.

Fig.
2(a)

Control algorithm for proposed system

active and reactive power currents (ilpb, ilpc) and (ilfb, ilfb) are
also extracted.
An average value of magnitudes is estimated for load
balancing and also uses to extract the 3-phase supply current
as,
I lpA

ilpa ilpb ilpc

3

(14)

Similarly, reactive component (IlqA) can be estimated as,

I lqA
Fig. 2(b) Estimation of unit templates of load current

(15)

2) Estimation of Magnitude of Active Power Components of

Grid Current

The QPLL can be described in a given equation as,

ilfa = (q s sin + q c cos )
q s G1 e(t) sin d , qc G2 e(t) cos d

ilqa ilqb ilqc

(13)

where = 0 e(t) G 3{q s cos qc sin }d d

e(t) ila ilfa
The controlling parameters G1, G2 and G3 control the
steady state and transient behavior of the loop as well as
estimate the fundamental component from the polluted load
current. The values of G1, G2, and G3 are chosen as 200, 20,
and 10 respectively in order to calculate fundamental load
component from the load current.
The magnitude of fundamental active and reactive power
components is extracted from phase a load current
fundamental component ilfa using sample and hold block,
quadrature template (wqa), absolute block in-phase template
(wpa). Similarly, from phase b and c load fundamental

To estimate the active power component the reference dc

link Voltage v*dc and VSC dc link voltage is compared. This
error voltage is given to the proportional-integral (PI)
controller which is used to maintain the dc link voltage.
vdcer v*dc vdc
(16)
The output of PI controller is represented as Iloss and the active
current component is represented as Ip which is given by

I * p IlpA Iloss

(17)

Thereafter, in phase components or active power components

of reference instantaneous grid currents in phase of PCC
voltages are calculated as,

i* psa I * p * w

pa

, i* psb I * p * wpb , i* psc I * p * wpc

3) Estimation of Reactive Component of Supply Currents

(18)

The terminal voltage magnitude (V t) is calculated in (10)

and the reference terminal voltage amplitude value (Vref) are
fed to the voltage controller. The voltage error is estimated as,
(19)
ver V *tref Vt
This error is given to the PI controller which gives reactive
component of supply current,

I *q I lqA I

(20)

qq

The reference grid currents

component are calculated as,

instantaneous

i*qsa I * q * w pc , i* qsb I *q * w pb , i *qsc I *q * w pc

quadrature
(21)

4)

Generation of Reference Source Currents

The reference current can be generated by using equation
(18) and (21)

i*sa i* psa i*qsa , i*sb i* psb i *qsb , i * sc i * psc i*qsc

(22)

By comparing reference grid currents (i*sa, i*sb, i*sc) and

measured grid currents (isa, isb, isc), an error is generated which
is given to the PWM current controller which generates the
switching pulses.
IV.

MATLAB MODELLING

The proposed solar PV grid interfaced power generating

system is modeled by using MATLAB with SPS tool boxes as
shown in Figs. 1. Fig. 2 explains the detail control modelling
and the reference current generation using QPLL. Further an
estimation of reference currents and PWM switching signal
generation are achieved for the control of the combined
operation of the VSC based solar PV power generating
system.
V.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A model of solar PV grid interfaced power generating

system is developed in MATLAB with the help of SPS tools
for compensations of three-phase linear and nonlinear loads.
The performance of QPLL based control algorithm is studied
and implemented in MATLAB for PFC mode of operation
under linear and nonlinear loads.
The system performance demonstrates as grid voltage (vsa,
vsb, vsc) grid currents (isa, isb, isc), dc link voltage (v dc) load
current (iLa, iLb, iLc), active power (P), reactive power (Q) and
VSC current (iinv). Here solar PV array voltage Vpv, solar PV
array power and current as Ppv and Ipv are respectively.
A. Steady State and Dynamic Performances of System
Configuration under Linear Loads
Fig. 3 shows the steady state performance of SPV grid
interfaced system under linear load. The power factor on
source side has been improved and is maintained near to unity.
Fig. 4 shows the waveforms under dynamic condition. The
load removal can be realized from 0.3 s to 0.4 s. The grid

Fig. 3 Steady state response of proposed system with linear load

currents are balanced, sinusoidal and dc link voltage is also

maintained constant.
B. Steady State and Dynamic Performances of System
Configuration under Nonlinear Loads
Under nonlinear loads, there is no demand of reactive
power. So it is observed that PCC voltage falls from the rated
value because of source impedance and load demands but the
power factor at supply side maintain unity. Fig.5 shows the
steady state performance of the proposed system under
nonlinear load.
The load removal is realized from 0.3 s to 0.4 s as shown
in Fig. 6 and shows dynamic performance of the proposed
system. The grid currents are balanced, sinusoidal and dc link
voltage is also maintained constant. These results show the
satisfactory performance of grid interfaced solar PV system
under nonlinear unbalanced conditions. The total harmonic
distortions (THD) of grid voltage, grid current, and load
current are 1.43%, 3.61% and 19.13% respectively as shown
in Fig. 7 and these harmonics are within the IEEE-519
standard [8].
C. Performances of Solar PV System under Different
Insolation
Fig. 8 shows the performance of solar PV system under
different insolations. From 0.3 s to 0.4 s the solar insolation is
500 W/m2 and from 0.4 s to 0.5 s it has increased to1000 W/m2
insolation. The performance of the proposed system remains
satisfactory under varying insolations.
VI.

CONCLUSION

The proposed grid interfaced solar PV system using QPLL

based control algorithm has been found quite suitable for
mitigating the power quality problems with improved power
quality. The QPLL based control algorithm has been observed

Fig. 4 Dynamic response of proposed system with linear load

linear and nonlinear loads under varying insolations and total

harmonic distortion of grid current within IEEE-519 standard.
APPENDICES
A. Solar PV Data
Vocn = 21 V, Isc = 3.8 A, Vmp = 17 V, Imp = 3.3 A., No. of series
cell in each module Ns = 36, ns = 34, np = 23.
B. DC-DC Boost Converter Parameters
D = 0.2, Lb = 2.36 mH, Fswb = 10 kHz, [5].
C. Parameters for VSC
Vs = 415 V, f = 50 Hz, f s = 10 kHz, Vdc= 700 V, Cdc = 7000 F,
L = 2.24 mH, dc voltage controller: Kpd = 3, Kid =2, line
impedance: Ls = 2 mH, Rs = 0.05 , linear load: Series
combination of 13 , 100 mH, nonlinear load: single phase
diode bridge rectifiers with L=200mH, R = 15 and ripple
filter: Cf = 5 F, Rf = 5 .
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Authors are extremely grateful to Department of Science
and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, for aiding this work
under Grant Number: RP02583.
REFERENCES

Fig. 5 Steady state response of proposed system with non linear load

robust in nature and worked well for mitigating power quality

problems. The proposed algorithm has been found to provide
acceptable performance characteristic in UPF mode. The
performance of the solar PV system found satisfactory under

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