Submodule Based MPPT with Synchronous Buck Converter Under Dynamic Partial Shading Conditions

Abstract

In order to obtain more power from photovoltaic (PV) modules under mismatching operating conditions, the submodule-based MPPT technique is an important solution. In this technique, since the power-voltage (P-V) curve of a submodule cannot be multi-peaked, the maximum power point (MPP) tracking (MPPT) is easily achieved through a DC-DC converter connected to each submodule. Since the P-V curve cannot be in a multi-peaked form, the maximum power can be obtained with a simple MPPT algorithm. For this reason, perturb & observe (P&O) algorithm can be chosen. In this study, the behaviour of a submodule-based MPPT with synchronous buck converter (SBC) is investigated for dynamic shading conditions. In addition, submodule-based MPPT and module-based MPPT technique were compared and the comparison was confirmed by simulation studies that submodule-based MPPT performed better. In this context, simulation studies were carried out for different shading conditions. According to the simulation results, the submodule-based MPPT approach achieves greater efficiencies to the module-based MPPT. In some simulations, when the module-based MPPT technique is used, the operation at the local MPP has been realized. In such cases, more advanced algorithms are needed. However, a simple algorithm is sufficient in submodule-based MPPT. The only disadvantage of this MPPT is the high hardware cost. However, the increase in efficiency obtained is at a level that can easily tolerate this cost.

Keywords

• Photovoltaic
• MPPT
• Submodule
• Synchronous buck converter
• Perturbe & Observe algorithm

References

1. [1] IEA Renewable Energy Market Update Outlook for 2020 and 2021, https://www.iea,org/reports/solar-pv, (accessed time: 06.04.2021)
2. [2] M.E. Başoğlu and B. Çakır, “A novel voltage-current characteristic based global maximum power point tracking algorithm in photovoltaic systems”, Energy, vol. 112, pp. 153-163, 2016.
3. [3] A. K. Panda and K. Aroul, “A novel technique to reduce the switching losses in a synchronous buck converter”, presented at the International Conference n.on Power Electronics, Drives and Energy Systems, New Delhi, India, 12-15 December, 2006.
4. [4] N. Z. Yahaya and A. A. A. A. Zamir, “Performance evaluation of SRBC circuit using MPPT controller”, presented at the IEEE Symposium on Industrial Electronics and Applications, Bandung, Indonesia, 23-26 September, 2012
5. [5] R. C. N. Pilawa-Podgurski and D. J. Perreault, “Submodule integrated distributed maximum power point tracking for solar photovoltaic applications”, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 28, no. 6, pp. 2957-2967, 2013.
6. [6] Z. Iqbal, U. Nasir, M. T. Rasheed and K. Munir, “A comparative analysis of synchronous buck, isolated buck and buck converter” presented at the 15th International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering, Rome, Italy, 10-13 June, 2015.
7. [7] J. Sreedhar and B. Basavaraju, “Design and analysis of synchronous buck converter for UPS application”, presented at the International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics, Chennai, India, 27-28 February, 2016.
8. [8] H. Luo, H. Wen, X. Li, L. Jiang and Y. Hu, “Synchronous buck converter based low-cost and high-efficiency sub-module DMPPT PV system under partial shading conditions”, Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 126, pp. 473-487, 2016.

9. [9] F. Wang, T. Zhu, F. Zhuo, H. Yi and S. Shi, “Submodule level distributed maximum power point tracking PV optimizer with and integrated architecture”, Journal of Power Electronics, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 1308-1316, 2017.
10. [10] K. Pal and M. Pattnaik, “Performance of a synchronous buck converter for a standalone PV system: an experimental study”, presented at the 1st International Conference on Energy, Systems and Information Processing, Chennai, India, 4-6 July 2019.
11. [11] S. Abdelmalek, A. Dali, A. Bakdi and M. Bettayeb, “Design and experimental implementation of a new robust observer-based nonlinear controller for DC-DC buck converters”, Energy, vol. 213, Article Number: 118816, 2020.
12. [12] M. E. Başoğlu and B. Çakır, “Experimental evaluations of global maximum power point tracking approaches in partial shading conditions”, presented at the IEEE International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering, Milan, Italy, 6-9 June 2017.
13. [13] M. E. Başoğlu and B. Çakır, “Hybrid global maximum power point tracking approach for photovoltaic power optimisers”, IET Renewable Power Generation, vol. 12, no. 8, pp. 875-882, 2018.
14. [14] M. E. Başoğlu, “An improved 0.8Voc model based GMPPT technique for module level photovoltaic power optimizers”, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 55, no.2, pp. 1913-1921, 2019.
15. [15] M. E. Başoğlu, “Analyzes of flyback DC-DC converter for submodule level maximum power point tracking in off-grid photovoltaic systems”, Balkan Journal of Electrical & Computer Engineering, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 269-275, July 2019.
16. [16] R. Çelikel, M. Yılmaz and A. Gündoğdu, “A voltage scanning-based MPPT method for PV power systems under complex partial shading conditions”, Renewable Energy, vol. 184, pp. 361-373, 2022.
17. [17] R. Çelikel and A. Gündoğdu, “Comparison of PO and INC MPPT methods using FPGA In-The-Loop under different radiation conditons”, Balkan Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 114-122, 2021.
18. [18] Bosch Solar Services, http://bosch-solarenergy.de/en/customer-service/product/kundendienst-2.html (accessed: 25.03.2021)