Fractional Incremental Resistance Based MPPT for Thermoelectric Generation systems

Abstract

In this research paper, a robust maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method based on fractional incremental resistance (FINR) approach has been proposed. The proposed method is used to increase the energy efficiency of the thermoelectric generation system (TEGS). The fractional order control contains a non-integer order which is preferred than the integer order control owing to its benefits. It offers extra flexibility in design and demonstrates superior outcomes, such as high robustness. The output power from TEGS is mainly dependent on the differential temperature between the hot-side and cold-side of TEGS in addition to the load demand. Therefore, a robust MPPT is highly required to track the optimal operation point continually with changing the operating conditions. The main target of the proposed method is to enhance the dynamic response and eliminate the oscillation around the maximum power point under steady state conditions. The obtained results using the FINR approach are compared with the common hill-climbing method and conventional incremental resistance. The results confirmed the superiority of FINR compared to HC and INR for both dynamic and steady-state responses.