Sola Paper
Sola Paper
Abstract— This article elaborates on a recently published issue the bonding to earth of exposed metal (e.g. metal frames of the
that calls the entire PV community’s and utility management PV modules, supporting infrastructure, combiner boxes) that
attention. It specifically provides further analysis on DC leakage could become energised in a fault situation or under normal
and fault detection blind spots associated with the operation of operation due to DC coupling mechanisms [4],[5]. This
floating PV Systems. Floating systems are almost a standard perception (i.e. lack all connections to ground) is not true
practice in Europe when it comes to the operation of large-scale however. Both earthed and floating PV systems have their
PV parks. A floating PV system has neither the positive nor the metal equipment connected to earth (Fig.1) to maintain the
negative DC current-carrying conductors connected to earth. electrical potential of any exposed metal parts at zero volts.
The system nevertheless benefits from other earthing
That is, to facilitate the operation of protection devices [6] to
connections, including the bonding to earth of exposed metals
assist in keeping systems and people safe. Moreover, the
(e.g. metal frames of the PV modules, supporting infrastructure,
combiner boxes) that could become energised in a fault situation
arising issue of DC stray current induced corrosion has been
or even under normal operation due to DC coupling very recently addressed by the authors in [7] and [8]. The
mechanisms. These may entail safety as well as accelerated DC work reported has gained its archival value by highlighting
corrosion concerns. that, under certain conditions, the DC leakage currents, if left
unattended, or not detected at all, may cause accelerated stray
Index Terms- Photovoltaic Systems, DC leakage currents, Fault current corrosion on metallic structures (e.g. racks, joints,
Detection, Insulation resistance. conduits, enclosures-boxes) or on metallic underground
infrastructure (e.g. metallic pipelines) buried in the vicinity of
I. INTRODUCTION large, utility-scale PV systems.
Leakage currents in Photovoltaic systems (PVs) come as a
result of a fault or from the systematic and inevitable flow of
direct current (DC) through non-ideal materials of the cables,
PV modules and other array components. PVs are normally
earthed to eliminate shock, lightning surges and possible fire
hazards [1]. The earthing of a utility-scale PV plant may
embrace the Medium Voltage (MV) substation’s earthing
system, the inverters’ housings (AC) earthing provisions as
well as any lightning protection related earthing. The DC side
of PV systems (DC PV arrays) can be also earthed and based
on their type of earthing, the systems are classified as earthed
or floating [2], [3], (Fig. 1). An earthed PV system has either
the positive or negative DC-carrying conductor connected to
earth. In contrast a floating PV system has neither the positive
nor negative DC current-carrying conductor connected to
earth. The inverter in floating PV systems may have a
transformer, providing galvanic isolation between the DC and
AC side or alternatively it may be transformerless (non-
isolated) [2]. A common misunderstanding about floating PV
systems is that they lack all connections to ground, including Fig. 1. Types of PV Systems Earthing
The objective of this paper is to provide some simulation III. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHYSICAL MODEL
case studies that are able to provide an insight on the DC
leakage activity and blind spots in floating isolated PV A. Layout and Electrical Specifications
systems. So far the earth fault “blind spot” in PV systems has Figure 2 illustrates a topologically accurate top view of a PV
been used to describe the presence of undetected leakage system that is used to facilitate the simulation of the above
currents (i.e. faults on earthed conductors) that can result in described case studies. It labels its actual dimensions as well
some sort of arcing or fire ignition should a subsequent as the most important features identified as being crucial
ground fault occur on an ungrounded conductor of the PV when it comes to assessing the DC leakage activity. In
system. The Solar America Board for Codes and Standards particular, the example case illustrates a PV park that is
(Solar ABCs) [9] has described the “blind spot” problem as occupying an area of 7875.2 m2 by hosting 12 similar
“not an inherent limitation in the grounded/isolated structures (arrays) of fixed inclination. The system has a
configuration but rather an unintended consequence of the nominal output power of 396kWp that is provided by 6 PV
prevailing Ground Fault Detector/Interrupter (GFDI) method arrays. There are 16 PV strings per PV array and each PV
used to deal with multiple faults”. string has 25 PV modules connected in series. At standard
At the same time, the board has correctly acknowledged test conditions (1000 W/m2), each 165 W module has an Imp
that the so called “blind spot” phenomenon (i.e. ground fault of 4.66 A and a Vmp of 35,26V.
in the grounded conductor) is not applicable in floating Moreover, six pairs of underground array cables are running
isolated systems since they have no earthed current-carrying from the combiner boxes (CBA, CBB, CBC, CBD, CBE, CBF) to
conductors. However, excessive leakage currents due to the central combiner box (CCBM). From CCBM a pair of main
various hidden faults do exist (but they are not easily cables (underground) leads to the central inverter. Each pair
identified) in floating configurations and if they are left is composed of one positive and one negative cable (i.e.
undetected or unattended may facilitate serious failures in current carrying conductors).
either of the two configurations.
TABLE II
TOTAL CIRCULATING LEAKAGE CURRENTS
Insulation Resistance
Total Circulating
Scenario (MΩ.km)
Leakage (mA)
Array Cables Main Cables
1 200 340 0.024 Fig. 6. Ground Potential Rise of Main Cables.
2 20 34 0.31
3 2 3,4 3 B. Modelling of the influence of circulating currents on DC
4 0,2 0,34 31.4 leakage activity under variable irradiation
Furthermore, the simulation model also examines the The incident solar irradiation on a PV plant during the
distribution of the leakage activity and ground potential rise course of the day is time varying. The maximum power point
(GPR) along the lengths of the cables. By means of an tracker (MPPT) regulates the voltage and the current in a way
example, Fig.5 shows the leakage activity of main cables for to maximize the production efficiency [10] under varying
the 4th simulation scenario (Table II). The positive leakage solar radiation conditions. To this extent, Fig. 7 shows the
values indicate that the current is leaving the cable whereas operational Vmp and Imp of the central inverter. The inverter
the negative values indicate the flow of leakage current in the triggers the operation if the incident solar irradiation exceeds
cables. This distribution can be used to identify localised the 100W/m2. Below this value the PV generators are open
leakage activity that may compromise safety or be the cause circuited. While the radiation increases the operating current
of accelerated dc stray current induced corrosion. increases proportionally, whilst the voltage is stabilized on
around 880V. The cumulative leakage current flowing from
the positive to the negative current carrying conductors is
superimposed on Fig. 7 as per each solar irradiation level.
This simulation entails that DC leakage activity correlates
with environmental conditions such as the solar potential and
its variation through a time cycle.
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