Cabling Constraints in PV Array Architecture: Design, Mathematical Model and Cost Analysis
Fahad Usman Khan, Ali Faisal Murtaza, Hadeed Ahmed Sher, Kamal Al‐Haddad, Faisal Mustafa
Abstract
In this article, cabling constraints of different photovoltaic (PV) configurations is addressed in three steps: 1) a cable selection criterion is developed in accordance with metric system defined by American Wire Gauge (AWG); 2) a mathematical model is designed, which estimates the cable length for any array size; and 3) cost functions are devised owing to estimate the cables capital expenditure. The aforementioned steps are developed for Series (S), Parallel (P), Series-Parallel (SP), Total-cross-tied (TCT), Bridge-Link (BL) and Honey-Comb (HC). A comprehensive mathematical model is developed for each of the above mentioned architectures in the context of cabling cost versus energy payback time. This cost analysis provides a clear snapshot to the designers of PV plant about the capital investments of cabling system of specific architecture and its potential energy payback time. At the end, a design example for each configuration is presented against an array size of 10 × 2 PV panels.