Improved Lifetime of GaN-Based Single Phase PV Inverter Using Dynamic Hardware Allocation

Power electronic inverters for photovoltaic (PV) systems over the years have trended towards high efficiency and power density. However, reliability improvements of inverters have received less attention. Inverters are one of the lifetime-limiting elements in most PV systems. Their failures increase system operation and maintenance costs, contributing to an increased lifetime energy cost of the PV system. Opportunities exist to increase inverter reliability through design for reliability techniques and the use of new modular topologies, semiconductor devices, and energy buffering schemes. This paper presents the implementation and design for reliability for a GaN-based single-phase residential string inverter using a new topological and control scheme that allows dynamic hardware allocation (DHA). In the proposed inverter architecture, a range of identical modules and control schemes are used to dispatch hardware resources within the inverter to variably deliver power to the load or filter the second harmonic current on the DC side. This new approach more than triples the lifetime of GaN-based inverters, reducing system repair/replacement costs, and increasing the PV system lifetime energy production.

Automated summary

Power electronic inverters for photovoltaic systems have been trending towards high efficiency and power density, but less attention has been paid to reliability improvements. By implementing design for reliability techniques and new modular topologies, it is possible to increase inverter reliability. A new approach utilizing GaN-based inverters has been shown to triple the inverter lifetime, reducing repair costs and increasing the lifetime energy production of PV systems.