Abstract
In this study, a thermography based modified perturb & observe maximum power point tracking (P&O MPPT) technique is proposed and implemented to overcome challenges due to unstable environmental temperature and radiance. A temperature based empirical model of PV module is used to approximate the peak power parameters. The objective of using temperature based model is to minimize the difference voltage (∆V) signal which in turn decreases the time to reach maximum power point and hence increases the speed of the MPPT system. Less number of iterations to achieve maximum power point also improves the output signal quality by reducing the number of fluctuations in the signal. Although the temperature based MPPT methods have already been suggested in literature but the novelty of the proposed method lies in using infrared (IR) images to monitor the instant temperature of photovoltaic (PV) module, which give its advantage in the form of fast and stable steady-state output. Results of the proposed scheme are found better when compared to the conventional P&O MPPT.
Highlights
In recent years solar photovoltaic energy harvesting has been increased exponentially
Temperature-based MPPT techniques have already been suggested in literature but most of them suggested to take STC (25 °C) to model the PV voltage which avoids the actual temperature of the PV module, and since it is well established that PV output significantly changes with temperature, these methods result in more convergence time and more fluctuations
This paper focuses on two aspects of a maximum power point tracker
Summary
In recent years solar photovoltaic energy harvesting has been increased exponentially. A comparative study on MPPT methods has been provided by Subudhi et al [5], Esaram et al [6] All these algorithms have variations in terms of speed, efficiency, accuracy, and quality of power output. Among these techniques, P&O is widely used and many modified versions of P&O are available. Temperature-based MPPT techniques have already been suggested in literature but most of them suggested to take STC (25 °C) to model the PV voltage which avoids the actual temperature of the PV module, and since it is well established that PV output significantly changes with temperature, these methods result in more convergence time and more fluctuations.
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