A circuit based model of photovoltaic array (PV) suitable for simulation studies of solar power systems is proposed in this paper. The proposed model is realised using Power System Block Set under MATLAB/SIMULINK, however, it can be constructed using standard simulation software such as PSPICE. The proposed circuit model has several advantages: simple, reliable, allows simulation of basic cells...

A recent approach to mitigate the adverse effects of photovoltaic (PV) arrays operating under mismatching conditions is the dynamic electrical reconfiguration of the PV panels. This paper introduces a procedure to determine the best configuration of a PV array connected in a series-parallel structure without using complex mathematical models. Such a procedure uses the experimental current vs. v...

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is used in photovoltaic (PV) systems to maximize the photovoltaic array output power, irrespective of the temperature and irradiation conditions and of the load electrical characteristics. A new MPPT system has been developed, consisting of a Buck-type dc/dc converter, which is controlled by a microcontroller-based unit. The main difference between the method...

Conventional CPV systems focus sunlight directly onto a PV cell, usually through a non-imaging optic to avoid hot spots. In practice, many systems use a shared tracking platform to mount multiple smaller aperture lenses, each concentrating light into an associated PV cell. Scaling this approach to the limit would result in a thin sheet-like geometry. This would be ideal in terms of minimizing t...

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique to fully utilize photovoltaic (PV) array output power that depends on solar insolation and ambient temperature. The proposed intelligent MPPT algorithm based on extension theory can automatically adjust the step size to track the PV array maximum power point (MPP). Compared with the conventional fixed ...

Accuracy in photovoltaic (PV) module temperature modeling is crucial to achieving precision energy performance yield calculations and subsequent economic evaluations of PV projects. While there have been numerous approaches based on both the steady-state transient thermal assumptions, few attempts account for changing convective cooling surfaces resulting from changes system layout. Changes row...

The present work describes an optimal operation of a small scale photovoltaic system connected to a micro-grid, based on both sliding mode and fuzzy logic control. Real time implementation is done through a dSPACE 1104 single board, controlling a boost chopper on the PV array side and a voltage source inverter (VSI) on the grid side. The sliding mode controller tracks permanently the maximum po...

This paper deals with the determination of the nonlinear I–V parameters of the equation by adjusting the curve at three points: open circuit, maximum power, and short circuit. Given these three points, which are provided by all commercial array datasheets, the method finds the best currentvoltage (I–V) equation for the Single-diode photovoltaic (PV) model including the effect of the series and ...

The possible enhancement of the output from a partially shaded PV array by the use of AC modules has been determined for the PV facade at the University of Northumbria. The system currently has an annual shading loss of about 25% and the study has shown that the use of AC modules would increase the output by approximately 8%. The calculation method is described, and the implications for the des...

Efficiency of the PV module can be improved by operating at its peak power point so that the maximum power can be delivered to the load under varying environmental conditions. This paper is mainly focused on the maximum power point tracking of solar photovoltaic array (PV) under non uniform insolation conditions. A maximum power point tracker (MPPT) is used for extracting the maximum power from...