Eliminating ground current in a transformerless photovoltaic application

Abstract

A single phase converter can be used for low-power grid connected applications. In photovoltaic applications it is possible to remove the transformer in the inverter in order to reduce losses, costs and size. Galvanic connection of the grid and the DC sources in transformerless systems can introduce additional leakage currents because of the earth parasitic capacitance. This currents increase conducted and radiated electromagnetic emissions, harmonics injected in the utility grid and system losses. Amplitude and spectrum of ground current depends on the converter topology, on the switching strategy and on the resonant circuit formed by the ground capacitance, the converter, the AC filter and the grid. In this paper, the leakage current in a 1.5 kW photovoltaic installation is measured. The installation includes a string of sixteen panels, a full bridge inverter and a LCL filter. Influence of inverter topology and modulation strategy on the magnitude of the leakage current is presented. Finally, the use of neutral point clamped inverters in transformerless photovoltaic applications is studied.