Efficient global maximum power point tracking technique for a partially shaded photovoltaic string. Issue 14 (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manickam, Chakkarapani; Raman, Guru Praanesh; Raman, Guru Raghav; Ganesan, Saravana Ilango; Chilakapati, Nagamani
• Is Part Of: IET power electronics. Volume 9:Issue 14(2016)
• Page Start: 2637
• Page End: 2644
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: maximum power point trackers -- photovoltaic power systems -- solar power; global maximum power point tracking technique -- partially shaded photovoltaic string -- PV system -- solar energy -- PSC -- bypass diodes -- power–voltage characteristic -- uniform insolation level -- P–V curve -- GMPPT algorithm -- P–V characteristic; Power electronics -- Periodicals; 621.31705
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-pel.2015.1040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-4535

Abstract

Abstract : Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is essential for a photovoltaic (PV) system in order to maximise the utilisation of solar energy. Under partially shaded conditions (PSC), PV strings with bypass diodes exhibit multiple peaks in the power–voltage ( P – V ) characteristics. Although various Global MPPT (GMPPT) algorithms have been proposed to address this issue, most of them cannot distinguish between PSC and uniform insolation, leading to the scan of the entire P – V curve under uniform insolation levels. This study introduces a general method to detect the occurrence of PSC in a PV string thereby dispensing the need to scan the entire PV curve under uniform insolation. Further, a simple technique is proposed to determine the GMPP with the minimum possible search space under PSC. The proposed algorithms for the detection of partial shading and GMPPT are validated experimentally.