Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract. The amount of power generated from a based on making perturbation in PV operation points of
photovoltaic (PV) system mainly depends on the following a PV panel in order to force the direction of tracking
factors, such as temperatures and solar irradiances. According toward an MPP; (ii) the hill-climbing algorithm which
to the high cost and low efficiency of a PV system, it should directly makes a perturbation in a duty cycle of a DC-DC
be operated at the maximum power point (MPP) which changes power converter; (iii) the incremental conductance (INC)
with solar irradiances or load variations. This paper presents an algorithm is implemented by periodically checking the
improved maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm of slope of the P-V curve of a PV panel. If the slope becomes
a PV system under real climatic conditions. The proposed MPPT zero or equal to a defined small value, the perturbation
is based on the perturbation and observation (P&O) strategy is stopped and the PV panel is forced to work at this
and the variable step method that control the load voltage to operating point [2]; and (iv) the constant voltage algorithm
ensure optimal operating points of a PV system. The proposed is based on keeping the ratio between the PV voltage at
MPPT algorithm has been implemented by a dSPACE DSP the maximum power (Vmp ) and the open circuit voltage
controller. The experimental results show that the PV power (Voc ) as a constant value [3], and also in this method the
system, using the proposed MPPT algorithm, is able to accurately effect of solar irradiance variations is neglected.
track maximum power points (with minimum steady-state power The first three methods provide a satisfactory solution for
oscillations) under rapid irradiance variations. tracking maximum power points of a PV system because of
the simplicity in implementation and satisfactory accuracy
Key Words without measuring solar irradiances and temperatures.
Despite of those advantages, there are some drawbacks:
Photovoltaic generation system, maximum power point firstly, these methods cause a power oscillation around an
tracking, perturbation and observation algorithm, boost converter, MPP in the steady-state and the amount of this oscillation
real-time controller. depends on the perturbation step size which ensures
a good matching between the tracking speed and the
1. Introduction system dynamics; secondly, the direction of tracking may
be wrong especially under rapid atmospheric condition
The optimal operation of a PV system is important variations.
due to the low efficiency of solar panels. The output Tina et. al. [4] developed a mathematical electrical-thermal
characteristic of a PV system is nonlinear and varies model of a PV module depending on ambient temperature,
with ambient temperatures and solar irradiance levels. wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and electrical
Therefore, a MPPT technique is required to obtain operating point (voltage and current values). Kaiser et.
maximum power from a PV system. al. [5] proposed a new MPPT control method for solar
A number of MPPT techniques have been developed for electric vehicles based on an offline artificial neural
PV systems, and for all conventional MPPT techniques network (ANN), trained using a back-propagation with a
the main problem is how to obtain optimal operating gradient descent momentum algorithm, which is used for
points (voltage and current) automatically at maximum the online generation of a reference voltage. The MPPT
PV output power under variable atmospheric conditions. algorithm varies the duty cycle of a boost converter that
The majority of MPPT control strategies depend on ensures the output voltage of a PV panel follow a reference
characteristics of PV panels in real time, such as the duty voltage at any solar irradiance and load conditions. The
cycle ratio control [1] and using a look-up table. MPPT obtained simulation and experimental results showed that
techniques can be generally classified into four types: the proposed control system was highly efficient. Lee
(i) the perturbation and observation (P&O) algorithm is et. al. [6] developed a novel MPPT algorithm based on
Table I
PV MODEL PARAMETER DEFINITION
Vpv I pv Vo
Symbols Definition
L Ipv Photovoltaic current (A)
DC-DC o
Boost Converter a Iph Photo current (A)
d Isat Saturation current (A)
ID Diode current (A)
PV
Panel
q Charge of an electron (1.602 × 10−19 C)
PWM
Vpv Photovoltaic voltage (V)
ADC Rs Series resistance (Ω)
A Idealist factor for a p-n junction (1 or 2)
PWM Port
Gate Pulse
RS-232
dSPACE
` DS1104 K Boltzman’s factor (1.381 × 10−23 J/K)
Controller Board T Temperature of a solar array (◦ C)
Control Desk λ Solar irradiance (W/m2 )
Command Interface
for MPPT Algorithm Isc Short-circuit current (A)
KI short-circuit current temperature
ID
a current controller by varying the reference current in Iph
P pv (W)
Ipv (A)
1/Ropt P 200
4 150
1/R 100
2
50
S
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
0
60
Fig. 4. Boost converter circuit diagram
Vpv (V)
Table II
S PECIFICATIONS OF THE BOOST CONVERTER
Fig. 3. The PV panel characteristics at a solar irradiance of 1000 W/m2
Parameter Symbol Value Unit
Switching frequency fsw 20.0 kHz
Minimum input voltage Vpv(min) 45.6 V
the optimum operating point A (Vmpp , Impp ), it is required Maximum input voltage Vpv(max) 56.8 V
to set the load R equal to the optimal resistive load Ropt , Maximum output voltage Vo(max) 230 V
and as a results the power dissipated in the resistive load Rated load current Io 0.97 A
is maximum: Maximum voltage ripple Vripple(max) 0.20 V
Pmax = Impp Vmpp . (3)
Table III
PARAMETERS OF THE BOOST CONVERTER
Parameter Symbol Value Unit
B. Boost Converter Analysis Minimum duty cycle Dmin 0 %
Maximum duty cycle Dmax 80 %
A step-up converter is used in this research to connect Minimum inductance Lmin 545 µH
a PV panel with a load in order to adjust the operating Peak inductor current IL(pk) 7.855 A
Minimum capacitance Cmin 485 µF
voltage and current of the PV panel at optimal values.
A simplified diagram of a boost converter is illustrated
in Fig. 4. The boost converter contains an IGBT and
a diode which are represented as a dual ideal switch MPPT controller. Thus the selection of boost converter
U in order to simplify the circuit analysis. If U is a components (the input inductor and the output capacitor) is
state of 0, the diode is on and the IGBT is off and vice a compromise between dynamic responses and the MPPT
versa if U is a state of 1. The boost converter contains algorithm trigger time. The maximum value of the state
also passive components: an inductor L, an capacitor C variables should be calculated to estimate the value of
and a resistance R. The operation principle of the boost the boost converter [8]. The specifications of the boost
converter can be demonstrated for each switching period converter are summarised in Table II and the calculated
under the continuous conduction mode (CCM) into two parameters of the boost converter are listed in Table III
modes [8]: the first mode is an ON mode in the duration The s-domain transfer function of the boost converter Gvd
the period 0 ≤ t ≤ ton and its state equations can be is calculated using a small-signal model as follows:
represented as follows:
(1 − D)Vo − LIL s
di Gvd = , (6)
L
L dtL = Vpv LCs2 + R s + (1 − D)2
, (4)
dvo where Vo is the steady-state output voltage which can be
C dt + vRo = 0
calculated by supposing the steady-state PV voltage equals
where ton is the ON mode time and iL the continues to its value at the maximum power point, R the resistive
inductor current. The second mode is an OFF mode in load, L the boost inductor, and C the output capacitor.
the duration ton ≤ t ≤ Ts , and its state equations can The steady-state control variable D is chosen at a median
be represented as the following: value 0.5. The open-loop transfer function Gvd is then
di numerically represented as below:
L dtL + vo = Vpv
, (5) −1.8e004s + 9e008
Gvd = . (7)
iL − C dv o
− vo
= 0 s2 + 100s + 5e006
dt R
Figure 5-a shows the open-loop step response and Figure
where Ts is the switching period. The design of a boost 5-b shows the closed-loop step response of the boost
converter for a PV system is a complex task which involves converter. It is clear that the system settling time (which
many factors. In general, the input and output voltages of is the time required for the transient’s damped oscillation
the boost converter are varied with the the solar irradiances to reach a steady-state) is approximately 0.084s. It is
and load variations. The output voltage is also varied important to note that the PI controller is optimally tuned
which follows the reference voltage generated from an for the purpose of stabilising the closed-loop of the control
Open-loop response
350
Step Response
as below:
300
Ppv (k) = Ipv(av) (k)Vpv (k). (8)
Step 4: The PV current and PV power samples are delayed
250
by a switching period.
Voltage (V)
200
as follows:
150
∆I = Ipv (k) − Ipv (k − 1)
. (9)
100
∆P = Ppv (k) − Ppv (k − 1)
50
Step 6: The reference voltage Vref (k) is calculated as
0 below:
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
Time (sec) Vref (k) = Vo (k) + ∆Vref , (10)
(a)
where ∆Vref the perturbation voltage is given by
Close-loop response
1 ∆Vref = sign(∆P ∆I)Vstep . (11)
0.9
where Vstep is the perturbation step.
0.8
Step 7: The load voltage error is calculated as below:
0.7
∆Vo (k) = Vref (k) − Vo (k). (12)
Amplitude(V)
0.6
Load Voltage
PV Voltage (V)
Rated current at MPP Impp 7.11 A 45.2
solar irradiance Sun 1000 W/m2
0
Temperature T 25 C 45
44.8
DS1104ADC_C5
DS1104_DSP_PWM
Ground 210
Fig. 6. Simulink model of the MPPT algorithm for dSPACE implemen- 208
tation
206
PV Power (W)
two PV panels as power source (its specifications are listed 204
in Table IV), a boost converter as a power process unit, a
resistive load, and a dSPACE DSP controller board which 202
is interfaced with a PC. The MPPT algorithm is modelled
in Simulink for dSPACE implementation as shown in Fig. 200
6. The output signals of the voltage and current transducers
are sampled in dSPACE DSP via DS1104-ADC blocks. 198
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Low pass filters are used in measuring units to eliminate Time (s)
the unwanted high-frequency noise. The PWM pulses from
the dSPACE DSP is sampled via a DS1104-DSP-PWM Fig. 8. Experimental PV power
block to generate standard 20 kHz fixed-frequency PWM
pulses.
250
The proposed algorithm is tested under two different 150 with the MPPT controller
weather conditions, i.e. sunny and cloudy sky cases.
The purposes of tests are to investigate the dynamic
100
characteristics of a PV system and to calculate the amount without the MPPT controller
of power increase using the proposed MPPT controller.
In the first test, the MPPT controller is tested under a 50
200 190
180
180
PV Power (W)
PV Power (W)
Zone 1 170
160
160
140 Zone 2
150
Zone 3
120 140
100 130
0 50 100 150 200 250 148 148.2 148.4 148.6 148.8 149
Time (s) Time (s)
Fig. 10. Experimental maximum PV power Fig. 12. Experimental maximum PV power of zone 2