Abstract
Photovoltaic (PV) systems are frequently exposed to partial or complete shading phenomena. Partial shading has a profound impact on the performance of solar power generation. The operational performance of PV arrays under partial shading shows multiple maximum power point peaks, therefore it is challenging to identify the actual maximum power point. This paper investigates the impact of partial shading location on the output power of solar photovoltaic arrays with various configurations. Multiple photovoltaic strings, in both parallel and series configurations, are considered. Different random shading patterns are considered and analyzed to determine which configuration has higher maximum power point. The sensitivity of the partial shading can change according to the partial shading types, shading pattern, and the configuration used to connect all PV modules. Moreover, the study also investigates the output of the PV array with shading two random models, two consecutive models, and three random and consecutive modules. Experimental results validate the analysis and demonstrate the effect of various partial shading on the eficiency and performance of the PV system.
Highlights
PV modules are combined in series-parallel configurations to obtain a desired output voltage and current levels
The reduction of the output power depends on the employed array configuration, the shading layout and the shading intensity
This paper presents the impact of different shading patterns on the P-V characteristics through performing a set of simulations with different array configurations
Summary
PV modules are combined in series-parallel configurations to obtain a desired output voltage and current levels. The partial of the complete shading of PV modules is a common incident and it results in reducing the output power of the PV system significantly. Partial shading broadly falls into two categories; static and dynamic shading. In the static shading type, a particular shadow stays fixed on the PV array for an extended period of time such as dust or dirt accumulation or bird droppings adhered to the PV surface. Dynamic shading type occurs due to covering part of the PV array with tree leaves, shade of a neighboring construction, passing clouds, or smoke. There is a growing concern about the most effective PV configuration to generate the maximum power by reducing the mismatching loss under different shading conditions.
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