5.2 Photovoltaic water pumping system

Two water pumping systems are installed to provide water to the population of an isolated site located at 10°23 N and 14°26 E. Each system has 13 kWp of PV generator associated to an automatic inverter. The pumping takes place over the

electricity network in the purpose of supplying the energy of the network, two types of inverters are used C1600-12 and C2600-24 (Studer compact)

(Figures 4–9).

Figure 6.

120

Figure 5.

Figure 4.

(a) Soiling and dust accumulation and (b) vegetation.

(a) PV junction box and (b) delamination and discoloration.

(a) Shading and (b) vegetation and building.

Maintenance Management


of photovoltaic system which is the competency of the contractor and installer without taken into account life service of each element and their implication on the failure of the system [33, 34]. Diagnosis procedures consist on visual inspection procedures (array inspection, wire inspection, inverter inspection, inspection of module, and array grounding) and performance monitoring (performance verification, displays, design software, data acquisition systems, sensors) [34]. One of the most valuable techniques for identifying existing problems and preventing future problems is to walk to the site and conduct a thorough visual and hands-on

On-Field Operation and Maintenance of Photovoltaic Systems in Cameroon

Parameter Symbol Unit

Total irradiance (global), in the plane of the array GI W m<sup>2</sup> Ambient air temperature in a radiation shield Tam °C

Output voltage VA V Output current IA A Output power PA kW Module temperature Tm °C Tracker tilt angle (optional for systems with tracking arrays) ϕ<sup>T</sup> Degrees Tracker azimuth angle (optional for systems with tracking arrays) ϕ<sup>A</sup> Degrees

Operating voltage VS V Current to storage ITS A Current from storage IFS A Power to storage PTS kW Power from storage PFS kW

Load voltage VL V Load current IL A Load power PL kW

Utility voltage VU V Current to utility grid ITU A Current from utility grid IFU A Power to utility grid PTU kW Power from utility grid PFU kW

Output voltage VBU V Output current IBU A Output power PBU kW

SW m s<sup>1</sup>

Wind speed (may be required by special contract or if the PV array is

subject to extreme operating conditions)

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.83730

Meteorology

Photovoltaic array

Energy storage

Load

Utility grid

Backup sources

Parameters to be measured in PV systems in real time [35].

Table 3.

123

### Table 1.

Characteristics of the PV module used in PVWPS.


#### Table 2.

Characteristics of the inverter and the motor pump.

sun. The configuration of a field is performed as follows: 51 solar panels all divided into 03 strings of 17 panels. Two pumps P1 and P2 were associated. The characteristics of the PV module used, inverter and motor pump, are specified in Tables 1 and 2.
