Metaheuristic Algorithm Based Maximum Power Point Tracking Technique Combined With One Cycle Control For Solar Photovoltaic Water Pumping Systems

Abstract

Solar photovoltaic technology has become eminent in the world because of its clean and abundant nature and can be effectively used for water pumping applications. A maximum power point tracking method is indispensable to achieve the best benefit from photovoltaic systems. Conventional maximum power tracking methods become successful only under uniform irradiance conditions and fail to track the maximum power under partial shading conditions (PSC). Hence, nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms were proposed to track the optimum power under varying environmental conditions. This study proposes a method for improving the performance of the nature-inspired maximum power point tracking algorithms by using a nonlinear control technique called one cycle control. Based on the duty cycle obtained from the tracking algorithm the one cycle control technique generates pulses for the DC–DC converter, which is connected to a brushless DC motor pump system through a voltage source inverter. The performance of the proposed system under various PSCs is validated using the Cuckoo search, particle swarm optimization, and grey wolf algorithms. Simulation results for various shading patterns prove the supremacy of the system with respect to convergence speed, tracking efficiency, robustness, steady-state oscillations at maximum power point, and initial exploration oscillations in comparison with systems without one cycle control. In addition, the introduction of a KY converter as a DC–DC converter reduces the output voltage ripple in the system. Thus, the proposed system with one cycle control overcomes the disadvantages of the existing methods and can be effectively utilized for water pumping applications.