Improved TCT topology for shaded photovoltaic arrays

Abstract

Photovoltaic energy is increasingly becoming a widespread technology and a viable alternative to fossil fuels for satisfying energy demands while mitigating pollution and climate change. However, various issues significantly affect the power production of photovoltaic systems, including partial shading effects, mainly under the basic interconnection schemes. Furthermore, the P–V curve exhibits multiple maxima, complicating the global maximum power point identification. This investigation aims to diminish the severity of partial shadowing by proposing a novel architecture allowing the inner parts of the photovoltaic panel to be involved in attached connections with the array subparts through a total-cross topology. The suggested photovoltaic reconfiguration validity is demonstrated using P–V curve analysis and performance indicators such as mismatch power loss, fill factor and global maximum power point. Moreover, adopting PSIM software to develop a photovoltaic model and, subsequently, a photovoltaic array to conduct simulations and acquire results. Finally, the suggested interconnection scheme has a significant power overrun exceeding 40W compared to the usual total cross-tied topology in certain shading modes, including the short and narrow categories. Furthermore, a small overshot of 5W disfavors the forced total cross-tied topology in short and wide shadowing scenarios.