Modelling and simulation of AdDoKu based reconfiguration technique to harvest maximum power from photovoltaic array under partial shading conditions

Abstract

A new AdDoKu method of photovoltaic (PV) module arrangement for total cross tied (TCT) interconnection pattern has been introduced in this paper. This arrangement is aimed at minimizing the PV array (PVA) losses caused by partial shading conditions and, thereby, increases the power output. Simulations are carried out in an extensive scale to validate the improvement in performance as compared to the TCT connection. Comparisons are also made between the newly proposed AdDoKu pattern and the SuDoKu configuration. The data obtained during this comparison place the proposed scheme at par with the SuDoKu configuration in terms of operational characteristics. The physical location of modules is rearranged without altering any electrical connections. The data obtained from the simulation tests show that the AdDoKu arrangement pattern reduces the number of local peaks in the P-V characteristics and, thereby, making the global maximum power point (GMPP) tracking algorithm much simpler and more accurate. MATLAB/SIMULINK is used for the modelling of all the PVAs considered in this work. Thus, the results establish the performance improvement of the proposed AdDoKu arrangement. Four different types of shading patterns (i.e., short wide, long wide, short narrow, and long narrow) are considered for analyzing the performance of the PVA system based on GMPP, mismatch power loss, % fill factor, % power loss, % power enhancement and energy saving with annual income generation analysis for the proposed topology. The output results shows that the AdDoKu method generates better power than TCT method by 28.76%, 30.15%, 11.66% and 0.34% in short wide, long wide, short narrow and long narrow shading pattern, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed AdDoKu method shows an improvement of 1.94% as compared to SuDoKu method under different shading conditions.