The True Unity Power Factor Converter Applied to Photovoltaic Applications

The True Unity Power Factor (TUPF) converter is a grid-connected active rectifier capable of delivering a sinusoidal current through a combination of Selective Harmonic Elimination (SHE) technique in two power electronics converters and harmonic cancellation at a three-winding transformer. This configuration provides a cost-effective solution with low switching frequency and simple converter and transformer designs without using bulk sinusoidal filters. The application of the TUPF converter in Photovoltaic (PV) systems demands dc link voltage control in response to a proper selected and adjusted Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT). This work proposes a control scheme for this operation and verifies its results with respect to power quality and power tracking. The results are validated though simulation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) tests.