Solar Array Simulators test next generation inverters.
September 21, 2012 -
Elgar ETS Series Standalone PV Simulators each combine agile power supply, I-V curve generator, output isolation, and GUI. Model ETS 80, housed in 1U package, tests micro-inverters or DC optimizers up to 80 Vdc Voc, while 3U rack Model ETS 600 tests string inverters that contain transformer isolation up to 600 Vdc Voc and Model ETS 1000 tests non-isolated string inverters up to 1,000 Vdc Voc. Each can deliver maximum tracking speed with less than 5° phase error between voltage and current waveforms.
Original Press release
AMETEK Programmable Power, Inc
9250 Brown Deer Road
San Diego, CA, 92121
USA
New AMETEK Solar Array Simulators Offer Highest Bandwidth and Isolation Voltage in the Industry
Three New Elgar ETS Series Models Enable Test of Next-Generation Inverters
SAN DIEGO – AMETEK Programmable Power (www.programmablepower.com), the global leader in programmable AC and DC power test solutions, has expanded its Elgar TerraSAS™ line with the ETS Series Standalone Photovoltaic (PV) Simulator. The new Series includes three models for testing PV inverters across a wide spectrum of applications:
• ETS 80 to test micro-inverters or DC optimizers up to 80Vdc Voc
• ETS 600 for testing string inverters that contain transformer isolation up to 600Vdc Voc
• ETS 1000 for non-isolated string inverters up to 1000Vdc Voc.
The ETS 600 and ETS 1000 are 3U rack units, while the ETS 80 comes in a 1U package. The ETS 80 also is cost effective, being 30 to 40 percent less expensive than units with comparable output specifications.
For microgrids, energy storage, and inverter test applications, TerraSAS PV Simulators are specifically designed to emulate the dynamic electrical behavior of a terrestrial PV solar array. They offer low output capacitance and high closed loop bandwidth to keep up with the advanced Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms used in today's grid-tied inverters.
All Elgar ETS Series units are high-performance solutions packaged in a small form factor that combine an agile power supply, an innovative I-V curve generator, output isolation and Graphical User Interface (GUI) in a single, standalone unit.
The Elgar TerraSAS and ETS Series PV simulators are based on high-speed versions of Elgar power supplies, where output capacitors, advanced DSP signal processing techniques, and other speed-limiting components have been adjusted to create a proprietary solution more advanced than any other solar array simulator on the market. This combination of hardware, software, and firmware allows the TerraSAS to simulate test protocols or combinations of events that a real-world solar installation is subjected to.
Under some conditions, traditional DC power sources using Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) technology do not meet MPPT response speed requirements. Elgar ETS Series units use Power MOSFETs, which typically switch ten times as fast as the most recent IGBTs. Higher switching frequency translates to smaller output capacitors and inductors - which is the key to a successful high speed power supply design.
In addition to the base technologies employed, the ETS Series’ capability for tracking high-speed MPPT algorithms is unmatched. Each ETS model can deliver a maximum tracking speed with less than 5o phase error between voltage and current waveforms. This translates to inverter design validation data you can trust.
Using the GUI, users can easily create I-V curves by entering parametric data, simulate standards-based cloudy condition scenarios and simulate arrays of PV panels. The system also can be remotely controlled and addressable as a single device via a standard Ethernet or optional GPIB interface using standard SCPI format commands.
For More Information
To learn more about the ETS Series Standalone TerraSAS Photovoltaic Simulator, visit www.pvinvertertest.com. To learn more about AMETEK programmable power supplies, contact AMETEK Programmable Power Sales toll free at 800-733-5427, or 858-450-0085, or by email at sales.ppd@ametek.com. Users also can contact an authorized AMETEK Programmable Power sales representative by visiting www.programmablepower/contact.
About AMETEK Programmable Power
AMETEK Programmable Power offers the engineer’s most reliable and trusted power brands: AMREL, California Instruments, Elgar, EM Test and Sorensen. AMETEK’s strong brands, broad product portfolio of AC and DC power supplies/loads, and deep application expertise across a wide array of industries make it the industry’s trusted "power partner."
AMETEK Programmable Power is a unit of AMETEK Electronic Instruments Group, a leader in advanced instruments for the process, aerospace, power and industrial markets and a division of AMETEK, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with annual sales of more than $3.0 billion.
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