Photovoltaic Array Topologies Research Articles

A monitoring system for online fault detection in multiple photovoltaic arrays

In this paper, a low-cost comprehensive Zigbee-based wireless monitoring system with fault detection technique is developed for online monitoring of a multiple photovoltaic (PV) array configurations. Different electrical parametric attributes were utilized to investigate the susceptibility of various commonly used PV array topologies to partial shade and electrical faults. A prediction model is used to compute a number of attributes for a given set of operating conditions - solar irradiance and PV module temperature. The predicted qualities are then compared to the ones acquired from field measurements, resulting in the identification of potentially defective operating conditions. In addition, a user-friendly web application is being built for quick Internet access to monitored data. The suggested approach is meant to have minimal processing needs and hence, a single microcontroller is employed for data transfer and fault detection. The proposed technique has been tested experimentally. The properties are shown to be significantly dependent on the shading/faults in the arrays and varied for various topologies, and may be utilized to detect/predict faults. Also, it has been shown that at varied shading levels the parallel topology produced higher power. However, with 90% system failure, all the topologies produced almost identical power.

Optimal Hybrid PV Array Topologies to Maximize the Power Output by Reducing the Effect of Non-Uniform Operating Conditions

The photovoltaic (PV) system center inverter architecture comprises various conventional array topologies such as simple-series (S-S), parallel (P), series-parallel (S-P), total-cross-tied (T-C-T), bridge-linked (B-L), and honey-comb (H-C). The conventional PV array topologies under non-uniform operating conditions (NUOCs) produce a higher amount of mismatching power loss and represent multiple maximum-power-points (M-P-Ps) in the output characteristics. The performance of T-C-T topology is found superior among the conventional topologies under NUOCs. However, T-C-T topology’s main limitations are higher redundancy, more number of electrical connections, higher cabling loss, poor performance during row-wise shading patterns, and more number of switches and sensors for the re-configuration of PV modules. This paper proposes the various optimal hybrid PV array topologies to overcome the limitations of conventional T-C-T array topology. The proposed hybrid topologies are such as series-parallel-cross-tied (S-P-C-T), bridge-link-cross-tied (B-L-C-T), honey-comb-cross-tied (H-C-C-T), series-parallel-total-cross-tied (S-P-T-C-T), bridge-link-total-cross-tied (B-L-T-C-T), honey-comb-total-cross-tied (H-C-T-C-T), and bridge-link-honey-comb (B-L-H-C). The proposed hybrid topologies performance is evaluated and compared with the conventional topologies under various NUOCs. The parameters used for the comparative study are open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, global-maximum-power-point (GMPP), local-maximum-power-point (LMPP), number of LMPPs, and fill factor (FF). Furthermore, the mismatched power loss and the conversion efficiency of conventional and hybrid array topologies are also determined. Based on the results, it is found that the hybrid array topologies maximize the power output by mitigating the effect of NUOCs and reducing the number of LMPPs.

Evaluation of Mathematical Model to Characterize the Performance of Conventional and Hybrid PV Array Topologies under Static and Dynamic Shading Patterns

The analysis and the assessment of interconnected photovoltaic (PV) modules under different shading conditions and various shading patterns are presented in this paper. The partial shading conditions (PSCs) due to the various factors reduce the power output of PV arrays, and its characteristics have multiple peaks due to the mismatching losses between PV panels. The principal objective of this paper is to model, analyze, simulate and evaluate the performance of PV array topologies such as series-parallel (SP), honey-comb (HC), total-cross-tied (TCT), ladder (LD) and bridge-linked (BL) under different shading patterns to produce the maximum power by reducing the mismatching losses (MLs). Along with the conventional PV array topologies, this paper also discusses the hybrid PV array topologies such as bridge-linked honey-comb (BLHC), bridge-linked total-cross-tied (BLTCT) and series-parallel total-cross-tied (SPTCT). The performance analysis of the traditional PV array topologies along with the hybrid topologies is carried out during static and dynamic shading patterns by comparing the various parameters such as the global peak (GP), local peaks (LPs), corresponding voltage and current at GP and LPs, fill factor (FF) and ML. In addition, the voltage and current equations of the HC configuration under two shading conditions are derived, which represents one of the novelties of this paper. The various parameters of the SPR-200-BLK-U PV module are used for PV modeling and simulation in MATLAB/Simulink software. Thus, the obtained results provide useful information to the researchers for healthy operation and power maximization of PV systems.

Performance improvement of solar PV array topologies during various partial shading conditions

The output power produced by solar Photovoltaic (PV) array is reduced drastically by partial shading effect. Various array formation and reconfiguration techniques were introduced by many researchers to mitigate partial shading effects in PV array. This paper proposes new PV Array Topologies (PVATs) to improve the performance during partial shading conditions (PSCs). Totally, eight shading patterns are considered in the analysis for seven types of array configurations. Based on the existing array configurations, six novel PVATs are proposed to address the partial shading effect. A 4 × 4, 4 kW solar PV array which consists of sixteen panel of each 250 W rating is considered in this paper. The proposed PVATs are simulated in MATLAB/Simulink® to assess the performance. The results obtained from the simulation are compared with the conventional PVATs and suitable topologies which give best performance during various PSCs are identified. The result comparison shows that the modified total cross-tied (TCT) configuration performs well to extract more power in most of the PSCs. For the Short and Wide PSC, the proposed TCT improves the output power of PVAT by 105% compared to the existing TCT topology. The proposed method is also validated experimentally using 2 × 2 TCT PV array topology and the output waveforms are presented in this paper. This research would be helpful for the PV power plant installers to identify a suitable array configuration.

Power Enhancement from Solar PV Array Topologies under Partial Shading Condition

In this paper, a detailed study is carried out on the solar photovoltaic (PV) array topologies under various shading patterns. The aim of this study is to investigate the mismatch effect losses in PV modules for non uniform irradiations. The shading causes not only power losses, but also non-linearity of P-V characteristics. Under partial shaded conditions, the P-V and I-V characteristics exhibit extreme non-linearity along with multiple load maxima. In this paper, the investigations of the optimal layout of PV modules in a PV array are worked out to provide maximum output power under various shaded conditions. Three type of solar PV array topologies e.g. Series-parallel (SP), Total cross tied (TCT) and Bridge link (BL) are considered for various types of shaded patterns. The modeling of solar PV array for various types oopologies is done in MATLAB/Simulink environment. The extensive results have been taken on these topologies for partial shading patterns and analyzed, which proves the TCT topology performance is better as compared to other topologies for most of the shading patterns.

Power Enhancement from Solar PV Array Topologies under Partial Shading Condition

In this paper, a detailed study is carried out on the solar photovoltaic (PV) array topologies under various shading patterns. The aim of this study is to investigate the mismatch effect losses in PV modules for non uniform irradiations. The shading causes not only power losses, but also non-linearity of P-V characteristics. Under partial shaded conditions, the P-V and I-V characteristics exhibit extreme non-linearity along with multiple load maxima. In this paper, the investigations of the optimal layout of PV modules in a PV array are worked out to provide maximum output power under various shaded conditions. Three type of solar PV array topologies e.g. Series-parallel (SP), Total cross tied (TCT) and Bridge link (BL) are considered for various typesof shaded patterns. The modeling of solar PV array for various types of topologies is done in MATLAB/Simulink environment. The extensive results have been taken on these topologies for partial shading patterns and analyzed, which proves the TCT topology performance is better as compared to other topologies for most of the shading patterns.

Evaluation of cumulative impact of partial shading and aerosols on different PV array topologies through combined Shannon's entropy and DEA

This paper investigates performance of seven photovoltaic (PV) array topologies experimentally under cumulative impact of partial shading and deposition of aerosols at different irradiance levels and aerosol types at their different concentration levels. Different array topologies respond differently with regard to their mismatch power loss and fill factor under partial shaded condition. However, a comprehensive analysis of their behavior under the influence of other environmental phenomena is neglected so far by the researchers. The topologies studied in the present work, include four conventional topologies viz. series-parallel (SP), honey comb (HC), bridge link (BL) and total cross-tied (TCT) along with three novel hybrid topologies proposed in this paper (CT-SP, CT-BL and CT-HC). The complex and large amount of data generated from the experimental study have been analyzed using combined Shannon's entropy and data envelopment analysis to quantify the relative performances of different PV array topologies under different environmental conditions. The proposed methodology of comprehensive analysis will help the policy makers and researchers to enhance the performance ratio of PV projects by leveraging on the environmental factors and thereby increase techno-commercial viability of the PV projects.

Modelling and performance assessment of PV array topologies under partial shading conditions to mitigate the mismatching power losses

Partial Shading Conditions (PSCs) reduces the output power from Photovoltaic (PV) arrays and represents multiple Maximum Power Points (MPPs) on output characteristics (I-V and P-V characteristics) due to mismatching power losses between the PV modules. The mismatching power losses in PV systems are depends on the shading pattern but on the shaded area, PV array topologies and physical location of the shaded PV modules in the array. The key objective of this research article is to model, simulate and assess the performance of different 5 × 5 PV array topologies under various shading patterns to extract the maximum power by mitigating the mismatching power losses. For this purpose Series (S), Parallel (P), Series-Parallel (S-P), Total- Cross-Tied (T-C-T), Bridge-Linked (B-L) and Honey-Comb (H-C) PV array topologies are considered under uneven row, uneven column, diagonal, random, short and narrow, short and wide, long and narrow, and long and wide shading patterns. The performance assessment of PV array topologies are carried out with respect to the comparison of open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, Global maximum power point (GMPP), Local maximum power points (LMPPs), corresponding voltages and currents at GMPP and LMPPs, mismatching power loss, fill factor and efficiency of the PV array topologies. The parameters of the KC200GT PV module are used for modeling and simulation of PV array topologies in MATLAB/Simulink software.