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Photovoltaic plant

Belongs to:
Power supply
Description:

A photovoltaic plant converts light energy, e.g. sun energy, through solar cells into electric energy by employing the photoelectric effect. The basic components of a photovoltaic plant are the solar cells, an inverter, a transformer and a switchgear.

Solar cells consist of semiconductor materials that generate free charge carriers (electrons and electron holes) when supplied with energy. For the generation of current, these charges have to be separated, e.g. through the application of an electric field. The thereby generated current is DC current which is fed through a fuse box to the inverter. At the inverter, the initial DC current is conditioned to a three-phase alternating current. During this process electric and magnetic emissions in the frequency range from 5 kHz - 100 kHz may occur. The inverter is followed by a transformer which steps up the voltage to the level required by the local distribution network. Finally the switchgear manages the flow of electrical power from the transformers to the power grid.

Frequency ranges:
  • 0 Hz–100 kHz
Type of field:
electric and magnetic

Measurements (acc. to literature)

Measurand Value Feature Remarks
magnetic flux density 0.6 µT (maximum, measured) - at a distance of 30 cm beneath the solar panels at a box with ancillary AC electronics; main frequencies at 60 Hz and its first harmonic at 120 Hz [1]
magnetic flux density 4.9 µT (maximum, measured) - beneath the solar panels at a box with ancillary AC electronics; main frequencies at 60 Hz and its first harmonic at 120 Hz [1]
magnetic flux density 14.7–96 µT (measured) - at the transformer [1]
magnetic flux density 0.103 mT (maximum, measured) - at the cables that lead from the solar panels through the combiner box to the fuse box [1]
magnetic flux density 110–177 µT (measured) - at the inverter [1]
magnetic flux density 0.171 mT (maximum, measured) - at the fuse box [1]
magnetic flux density 0.277 mT (maximum, measured) - around the perimeter of the inverter [1]

References

  1. Tell RA et al. (2015): Electromagnetic Fields Associated with Commercial Solar Photovoltaic Electric Power Generating Facilities