Emulating and Amplifying an I-V Panel Based on an Electrical Model of a PV Cell

Abstract

This paper proposes a simulator for a Photo-Voltaic (PV) generator that can reproduce the I-V and P-V characteristics of a PV cell at different high desired levels. The simulator is based on electronic components, an electronic load, a feedback controller, a source of electrical energy giving the necessary power, and a PV cell or its equivalent electrical model that serves as a PV reference. This latter, connected to the electronic load, forms the basis of the simulator. Any variation in the load impedance connected to the simulator is reflected by a variation in the electronic load impedance and will fix the PV reference operating point (Vref, Iref). Voltage Vref and current Iref of this latter point are amplified linearly and give an operating point (V, I). The latter should be adjusted in a linear gain variation with the feedback controller and fixed on the PV panel characteristic curves. Therefore, in this state, a linear gain variation in I, V or both gives as much high power as that of a serial setting and / or a parallel one (of PV modules). Using this simulator, it is possible to emulate all the characteristics of any solar PV in connection with the climatic conditions, or independently of these conditions when an electrical model is used as a reference. With the ISIS design environment, both the PV reference and the generated PV simulator are simulated to get their characteristics. The experiments are carried out under different operating conditions, and the obtained results are in good agreement with those of any PV panel.