Modeling of Overvoltage Protection by Lightning for a Grid-tied Solar Power System: A case of Vietnam

Ngo Nguyen Dong; Le Thi Thuy Hang

Abstract

AbstractThe solar power system has been widely developed due to its environmental friendliness and sustainability. Normally, PV panels would be preferable to set up on rooftop of building or free-standing in unsheltered areas. Therefore, the negative impacts on these systems from bad weather conditions, like storms and lightning, have been evident. Vietnam is located in the region of tropical monsoon weather, especially one of the three strongest thunderstorm areas in the world. And the overvoltage by lightning transient currents on a PV system not only could fault, damage to electrical/electronic equipments, but also effect adversely on the human health and economic. In this paper, our team has chosen the lightning strokes of single-peaked current forms and has simulated it under the equivalent engineering models by Matlab-Simulink. The obtained results allowed the analysis of overvoltage scenarios in grid-tied solar power system in Vietnam and the assessment of the surge protective device activities of Metal Oxide Varistors during overvoltage.Keywords: Solar power, Metal Oxide Varistors, Overvoltage Protection, Lightning, VietnamCite this ArticleNgo Nguyen Dong, Le Thi Thuy Hang Modeling of Overvoltage Protection by Lightning for a Grid tied Solar Power System: A case of Vietnam Journal of Alternate Energy Sources & Technologies .2020; 11 (2): 27-40 p.