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Granular control of photovoltaic arrays by means of a multi‐output Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithm
Author(s) -
Petrone Giovanni,
RamosPaja Carlos Andrés,
Spagnuolo Giovanni,
Vitelli Massimo
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.2179
Subject(s) - maximum power point tracking , converters , photovoltaic system , maximum power principle , control theory (sociology) , power (physics) , computer science , multivariable calculus , controller (irrigation) , digital control , generator (circuit theory) , algorithm , electronic engineering , engineering , control (management) , control engineering , electrical engineering , artificial intelligence , physics , inverter , agronomy , quantum mechanics , biology
In this paper, a Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (D‐MPPT) approach in photovoltaic (PV) applications is discussed. The proposed control method is suitable for the granular control of the PV generator at a module level or even at a sub‐module level. D‐MPPT is usually implemented by means of independent converters, each one of them running its own MPPT algorithm. Instead, the architecture proposed in this paper consists of only one digital controller, implementing a multivariable MPPT algorithm based on the Perturb and Observe approach, acting on a number of dc/dc converters, each one of them dedicated to a single PV module. The proposed control strategy reduces the number of current sensors with respect to the classical D‐MPPT architecture and tracks the maximum power evaluated at the dc/dc converters' output. Planar solid immersion mirror simulations and experimental results confirm the validity of the approach and of the design guidelines proposed in the paper. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.