LIGHTNING AND SURGE PROTECTION FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS –LABORATORY TESTS ON COMPLETE SYSTEMS

摘要

Due to the exposed arrangement and extended surface of photovoltaic systems, a high risk of direct and indirectlightning strokes arises for such systems. Avoiding system failures due to damage by lightning surges requires a goodcoordination of a lightning and surge protection concept. The effectiveness of such lightning and surge protectionsystems can be verified by comprehensive laboratory testing of complete systems, including both the complete surgeprotection scheme and the equipment to be protected, such as dc-ac converters or PV modules. The paper describes? the necessity of laboratory testing at system level? special requirements of lightning protection concepts in PV applications and their verification by laboratorytests? newly introduced test sequences combining lightning protection testing and equipment tests applied on specificPV equipment.