What Is a Photovoltaic Array?

Photovoltaic Array is the connection of multiple photovoltaic modules, and it is also the connection of more photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic array is the largest photovoltaic power generation system.

Photovoltaic power generation systems use photovoltaic array components made on the principle of photovoltaic effect to directly convert solar energy into electricity. Photovoltaic cell is the smallest unit for photoelectric conversion. The voltage generated by a single cell is about 0.45V and the working current is about 20 ~ 25mA / cm2. After the photovoltaic cell is packaged in series and parallel, it becomes photovoltaic Battery array assembly.

Photovoltaic Array is the connection of multiple photovoltaic modules, and it is also the connection of more photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic array is the largest photovoltaic power generation system.

Solar cells can convert solar energy into DC power through the photovoltaic effect, but a photovoltaic module (photovoltaic panel) can not generate enough current for general residential use, so several photovoltaic modules are connected together to form an array. Photovoltaic arrays can use inverters to convert DC power to AC power for use.

Because the direct output stage of the photovoltaic array is a photovoltaic grid-connected inverter, the design of the photovoltaic array must fully consider the adaptation to the inverter. ^[1]

1) Short circuit current (Isc): The maximum output current at a given sunlight intensity and temperature.

2) Open circuit voltage (Voc): The maximum output voltage at a given sunlight intensity and temperature.

3) Maximum power point current (Im): The current corresponding to the maximum power point at a given sunlight intensity and temperature.

4) Maximum power point voltage (Um): The voltage corresponding to the maximum power point under given sunlight and temperature.

5) Maximum power point power (Pm): The maximum power that a solar cell array may output under a given sunlight and temperature.

The matching of photovoltaic array and inverter mainly refers to three aspects: voltage matching, current matching, and power matching. The maximum number of series components in the PV array design should ensure that the array output voltage does not exceed the maximum allowable input voltage of the PV inverter at the maximum open circuit voltage. For current, the output current of the array should not be greater than the maximum input current of the inverter. On the premise of meeting the voltage range and current range, adjust the number of PV modules in series so that the output of the array is close to the rated power of the inverter in order to obtain the highest inverter efficiency.

In the design of photovoltaic arrays, in order to make the array output as much energy as possible, it is necessary to make the photovoltaic modules obtain as much radiant energy as possible. To solve this problem, in addition to improving the photovoltaic module materials, the azimuth of the photovoltaic array must be considered And tilt angle. Because the total area of open space (including the roof) is limited, due consideration must be given to minimizing the area of the photovoltaic array as much as possible under the premise of obtaining a reasonable total output energy. ^[2]