Unbalanced Operation in Transformers Used in PV Plants

Abstract

Renewable energy has become the most preferred energy sources today due to its environmental and economic advantages. One of the renewable energies is solar energy, in which Photovoltaic (PV) cells are used to convert solar energy into electrical energy. In this respect, Solar Power Plant (SPP) is one of the popular renewable energy sources and the integration of such power sources into electricity grids has been increasing in recent years. Transformers are one of the largest capital investments in solar power generation and the way they work is different from transformers used in a substation. Therefore, failure of transformers has significant economic effects on electrical networks. The PV type transformer is powered by the inverter and needs to be customized to work with every system. Consequently, the safe operation and reliability of this type of transformer is critical to the sustainability of the electrical grid. Consequently, identifying the probability of failure as a preventative action for grid protection is critical and should be addressed to improve electrical system reliability. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of the unbalanced operation of the inverter on the performance of the special type transformer used in the PV plant and to show how the inverter operation can affect the operation of the transformer.