Modelling, simulations and operational performance of synchronous motor powered and excited by photovoltaic generators with fixed injected voltages

This paper aims to provide the operational performance of three-phase synchronous motor (SM) powered and excited by photovoltaic (PV) generators with fixed injected voltages. The two PV generators are interfaced via buck-boost choppers. Three-phase sinusoidal inverter terminated by LC filter is integrated between the chopper circuit and the stator windings of the motor. The main idea behind incorporating the chopper circuit is to power the armature and field circuits of the motor via fixed voltages at all practical solar irradiance levels and motor loading conditions. The analysis includes the system response following successive step changes of the mechanical load coupled to the motor, successive step changes of the solar irradiance levels and successive step changes of the set value of the excitation voltage. It is concluded that feeding and exciting the synchronous motor via PV generators simultaneously with fixed voltages can be practically realised at a wide range of solar irradiance levels and loading conditions even when the PV generator is partially shaded.