Abstract
Due to the shortage of fossil fuel and the environmental pollution problem, solar energy applications have drawn a lot of attention worldwide. This paper reports the use of the latest patented distributed photovoltaic (PV) power system design, including the two possible maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms, a power optimizer, and a PV power controller, in grid-connected and standalone applications. A distributed PV system with four amorphous silicon thin-film solar panels is used to evaluate both the quadratic maximization (QM) and the Steepest descent (SD) MPPT algorithms. The system’s design is different for the QM or the SD MPPT algorithm being used. The test result for the grid-connected silicon-based PV panels will also be reported. Considering the settling time for the power optimizer to be 20 ms, the test result shows that the tracking time for the QM method is close to 200 ms, which is faster when compared with the SD method whose tracking time is 500 ms. Besides this, the use of the QM method provides a more stable power output since the tracking is restricted by a local power optimizer rather than the global tracking the SD method uses. For a standalone PV application, a solar-powered boat design with 18 PV panels using a cascaded MPPT controller is introduced, and it provides flexibility in system design and the effective use of photovoltaic energy.
Highlights
In recent years, the shortage of fossil fuels and environmental pollution awareness have been two important issues that affect people’s daily lives, and many countries are actively doing research and developing renewable energy resources
The use of the quadratic maximization (QM) method provides a more stable power output since the tracking is restricted by a local power optimizer rather than the global tracking the Steepest descent (SD) method uses
Our has team focused on the development of a new distributed system including the use of various maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms, an award winning design of a direct current (DC)/DC converter, and a patented controller system for PV applications
Summary
The shortage of fossil fuels and environmental pollution awareness have been two important issues that affect people’s daily lives, and many countries are actively doing research and developing renewable energy resources. A well-known power loss problem encountered by a centralized photovoltaic system is due to a panel’s mismatch, degradation, or partial shading effect For such a reason, a PV system’s power characteristic exhibits multiple maxima power points which make it more difficult for the maximum power point tracking (MPPT). A distributed MPPT system uses a local maximum power point tracking technique with I and V measurements on the MIC to ensure the local maximum power output (see Figure 1a). Our has team focused on the development of a new distributed system including the use of various MPPT algorithms, an award winning design of a DC/DC converter, and a patented controller system for PV applications. 1. Two hardware designs for the distributed photovoltaic (DPV) system (a) distributed power point tracking (b) multivariable. MPPT evaluation: distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT) control; (b) multivariable MPPT control
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