Abstract
This paper aims to develop an online diagnostic mechanism, doubling as a maximum power point tracking scheme, for a photovoltaic (PV) module array. In case of malfunction or shadow event occurring to a PV module, the presented diagnostic mechanism is enabled, automatically and immediately, to reconfigure a PV module array for maximum output power operation under arbitrary working conditions. Meanwhile, the malfunctioning or shaded PV module can be located instantly by this diagnostic mechanism according to the array configuration, and a PV module replacement process is made more efficient than ever before for the maintenance crew. In this manner, the intended maximum output power operation can be resumed as soon as possible in consideration of a minimum business loss. Using a particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based algorithm, the PV module array is reconfigured by means of switch manipulations between modules, such that a load is supplied with the maximum amount of output power. For compactness, the PSO-based online diagnostic algorithm is implemented herein using a TMS320F2808 digital signal processor (DSP) and is experimentally validated as successful to identify a malfunctioning PV module at the end of this work.
Highlights
Even though the global maximum power point (GMPP) can be successfully tracked as expected on a P–V characteristic curve with multiple peaks [3,4], the overall power generation efficiency deteriorates in a heavily shaded case, and little improvement is made because a PV module array is not built with adaptive configuration
As put forward in [6], a PV module array is reconfigured in a way that deploys an maximum power point tracker (MPPT) on each branch to reduce the module shadow or malfunction effect
The static array configuration proposed in [8] does not require sensors or switches, and the PV modules are arranged in such a way that the shade is not concentrated but dispersed all over the PV module array
Summary
Even though the global maximum power point (GMPP) can be successfully tracked as expected on a P–V characteristic curve with multiple peaks [3,4], the overall power generation efficiency deteriorates in a heavily shaded case, and little improvement is made because a PV module array is not built with adaptive configuration. For this sake, a PV module array is made up of a fixed part and an adaptive bank, as presented in [5].
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