Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Research Article
Comparison of Different MPPT Algorithms with a Proposed One
Using a Power Estimator for Grid Connected PV Systems
Copyright © 2016 M. Hlaili and H. Mechergui. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
Photovoltaic (PV) energy is one of the most important energy sources since it is clean and inexhaustible. It is important to operate
PV energy conversion systems in the maximum power point (MPP) to maximize the output energy of PV arrays. An MPPT control
is necessary to extract maximum power from the PV arrays. In recent years, a large number of techniques have been proposed
for tracking the maximum power point. This paper presents a comparison of different MPPT methods and proposes one which
used a power estimator and also analyses their suitability for systems which experience a wide range of operating conditions. The
classic analysed methods, the incremental conductance (IncCond), perturbation and observation (P&O), ripple correlation (RC)
algorithms, are suitable and practical. Simulation results of a single phase NPC grid connected PV system operating with the
aforementioned methods are presented to confirm effectiveness of the scheme and algorithms. Simulation results verify the correct
operation of the different MPPT and the proposed algorithm.
Power (kW)
Current (A)
5 5
4 4
environmental conditions in order to keep the operating
3 3 point of the PV system close to the maximum power point.
2 2 The switches 𝑇1 and 𝑇3 , as well as 𝑇2 and 𝑇4 , are
1 1 switched complementarily. The control of this inverter can
be done using a PWM technique. To implement the PWM,
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
two superposed triangular carriers are used. Each carrier is
Voltage (V)
connected to one of the two groups of switches controlled
1000 W/m2 500 W/m2 complementarily. The positive part of the carrier fixes the
900 W/m2 400 W/m2 switching state of 𝑇1 and 𝑇3 whereas the negative part controls
800 W/m2 300 W/m2 𝑇2 and 𝑇4 .
700 W/m2 200 W/m2
600 W/m2
3. MPPT Algorithms
Figure 1: 𝐼-𝑉 and 𝑃-𝑉 curve with different irradiation.
The maximum power supplied by the photovoltaic panels is
8 8 not always stable and fixed in the same operating point; it
7 7 varies with the weather conditions, such as solar irradiation,
6 6 shadow, and temperature. To extract the maximum power, it
Power (kW)
Current (A)
T1 D1
VC1 C1
D5 T2 D2
L Igrid
PV N
T3 D3
D6
Vgrid
VC2 C2
T4 D4
Igrid
T1 T3
1 Vtri1 Pgrid
0
−1
−
+ PLL
1 T2 T4
0
−1
1
Sin (𝜔PLL t)
+
0 −
−1
Vtri2 Igrid
− Iref
PI +
the MPP can be tracked by comparing the instantaneous easily keep track of previous values of voltage and current
conductance 𝐼/𝑉 with the incremental conductance Δ𝐼/Δ𝑉. [12]. Figure 5 shows the IncCond algorithm.
The algorithm increments or decrements the reference
until the condition Δ𝐼/Δ𝑉 = −𝐼/𝑉 is achieved. Once 3.3. Ripple Correlation. If the grid current 𝐼grid (𝑡) is in phase
the maximum power is reached, the operation of the PV with the grid voltage 𝑉grid (𝑡), the instantaneous value of
array is maintained at this point. It is an effective algorithm power injected into the grid is
and requires high sampling rates and fast calculations of
the power slope [9]. It offers different advantages which 𝑃grid (𝑡) = 𝑉grid 𝐼grid (1 + cos 2𝜔𝑡) . (2)
are good tracking efficiency and automatic adjustment of
the module operating voltage with no oscillations. Also, the From (2), the instantaneous power 𝑃grid (𝑡) pulsates at a
response is improved and the control for the extracted power frequency twice that of the grid (2𝜔 is produced), making the
is optimized [10]. The implementation of this algorithm ripple included in PV voltage, current, and power. For that,
in the control unit is difficult and expensive, but with the behavior of the PV voltage ripple 𝑉̃PV as well as PV power
recent developments in microcontrollers it became more cost ̃
ripple 𝑃PV is used to find out the direction of the MPPT of the
effective [11]. It lends itself well to DSP control, which can SP-NPCI.
4 International Journal of Photoenergy
Start
No Yes
PPV (k) − PPV (k − 1) > 0
Yes
Yes
VPV (k) − VPV (k − 1) > 0 VPV (k) − VPV (k − 1) > 0
No No
IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) − inc IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) − inc IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) + inc
IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) + inc
Return
The ripple correlation control uses the average function (ii) 𝜕𝑃 < 0: the operating point is on the right side of
to find out the average term of the instantaneous PV power the MPP on the (𝑃-𝑉) characteristic; then, the sign
𝑃PV and voltage 𝑉PV . 𝑃̃ PV and 𝑉
̃PV can be calculated from function is −1.
̃ PV = 𝑃PV − 𝑃PV ,
𝑃 The knowledge of the instantaneous operating point region
(3) makes it possible to change the output reference current in
̃PV = 𝑉PV − 𝑉PV .
𝑉 order to approach the maximum power operating point. This
method presents very fast dynamics converging asymptoti-
̃PV × 𝑃
The average value of 𝑉 ̃ PV function is the output of 𝜕𝑃: cally to the MPP, and it achieves convergent speeds at a rate
similar to the switching converter frequency. Figure 6 shows
̃ ⋅ 𝑉.
̃ the ripple correlation MPPT algorithm.
𝜕𝑃 = 𝑃 (4)
The sign of 𝜕𝑃 is an indication of the region where the PV 3.4. Proposed MPPT. The proposed MPPT is a combination
system is working: of the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current
methods with a variable step size (VSSOCV) in the gain
(i) 𝜕𝑃 > 0: the operating point is on the left side of parameters which is multiplied by the open circuit voltage
the MPP on the (𝑃-𝑉) characteristic; then, the sign to have the maximum power which can be extracted from
function is +1. the PV panels. In addition to that, we proposed a power
International Journal of Photoenergy 5
Start
Yes
VPV (k) − VPV (k − 1) = 0
No
No
No
dIPV I
> − PV IPV (k) − IPV (k − 1) > 0
dVPV VPV
No Yes
Yes No
IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) − inc IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) + inc IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) + inc IMPPT (k + 1) = IMPPT (k) − inc
Return
estimator, to measure the power from the DC side of the PV The factor 𝑘2 is always less than unity. It looks very simple but
system. determining the best value of it is very difficult. It varies from
In case the grid current is in phase with the grid voltage, 0.73 to 0.8 [5].
the instantaneous PV power, upon neglecting power losses in The SCC of the PV panel depends on the irradiation. This
NPC inverter, is given by relationship can be described by
The maximum voltage extracted from the PV system is equal 𝐼MPP = 𝑘4 ∗ 𝐼SC , (9)
to where 𝑘4 is a proportional constant which varies from 0.8 to
0.9. This control algorithm requires the measurement of the
𝑉MPP = 𝑘2 ∗ 𝑉OC . (7) SCC.
6 International Journal of Photoenergy
Start
1 T
PPV = ∫ P · dt
T 0 PV
1 T
VPV = ∫ V · dt
T 0 PV
̃ = PPV − PPV
P
̃ = VPV − VPV
V
1 T
𝜕PPV = ∫ P · V dt
T 0 PV PV
𝜕PPV > 0
Sign = +1 Sign = −1
dI = sign × ∫K · dt
PPV
IMPPT = 2 × + dI
Vmax_ grid
Return
1000 8
Open circuit voltage (V)
7
Short circuit current (A)
6
950
5
4
900 3
2
850 1
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0
Temperature (∘ C) 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Irradiance (W/m2 )
Figure 7: Variation of the open circuit voltage according to the Figure 8: Variation of short circuit current according to the
temperature. irradiation.
International Journal of Photoenergy 7
Start
Read E, T
VOC = −k1 × T + k
ISC = k3 × E
No ΔP Yes
>0
ΔV
k2 = k2 − Δk k2 = k2 + Δk
VMPP = k2 × VOC
IMPP = k4 × ISC
PMPP
Igrid_RMS =
Vgrid_RMS
IMPPT = Igrid_RMS × √2
Return
The proposed method needs using two sensors for the 4. Simulation Results
temperature and irradiation measurements.
This method needs also knowing the characteristics of In order to obtain a good characterization of the proposed
the PV panels to determine the constant of the proposed topology, simulations were performed using PSIM software.
algorithm in Figure 9. The system was simulated under different operating condi-
For this purpose, a low-cost temperature sensor is tions, in steady state and during transient state caused by solar
adopted and is maintaining the right track of MPP but, in radiation variations.
practical implementations, can be a problematic issue due to The P&O and IncCond techniques are the most widely
irregular distribution of PV array temperature, which can be used because of InCond and P&O simplicity to implement.
avoided in small PV converters. But, as it can be seen in Table 1, their THD is high in
8 International Journal of Photoenergy
THD (%)
MPPT Efficiency (𝜂%)
1000 W/m2 800 W/m2 600 W/m2 400 W/m2
VSSOCV 99.95 1.6 1.5 2.0 3.0
IncCond 99.94 4.6 5.7 7.7 24.0
P&O 99.93 1.7 1.9 7.1 9.0
RC 99.86 2.1 3.8 2.0 8.0
5.755 Pmax 6
5.75
Power (kW)
Power (kW)
5.745 5
5.74
P&O IncCond VSSOCV 4
5.735
5.73
3
5.725
RC
5.72 2
0.82 0.83 0.84 0.85 0.86 1 2 3
Time (s) Time (s)
Figure 10: Power extracted from PV panels in steady state at Figure 12: Maximum power extracted and theoretical power during
1000 W/m2 . a fluctuation in solar radiation from 1000 W/m2 to 200 W/m2
passing through 600 W/m2 and 400 W/m2 .
6000
IncCond
4800
Power (W)
RC 5.5
1200
0 5
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
Time (s)
4.5
Figure 11: Power extracted from PV panels during the start-up with 1 2 3 4
different MPPT techniques. Time (s)
method. VSSOCV
440
The proposed method is efficient and extracts the max-
360
imum power but it needs two sensors to measure the 1 2 3 4
irradiation and temperature variation. This method needs Time (s)
only the knowledge of the 𝐼-𝑉 characteristics. It has also the
Voltage (V)
P&O
faster response. 440
IncCond has the highest rise time as it can be seen in 360
Figure 11. We can see also, in steady state, that RC and 1 2 3 4
P&O have the higher oscillation around the maximum point Time (s)
(Figure 10).
Voltage (V)
RC
Table 1 shows also the efficiency of each method which 440
is calculated using the maximum theoretical power and the 360
1 2 3 4
instantaneous extracted power defined as
Time (s)
𝑃actuel (𝑡)
Voltage (V)
𝜂= . IncCond
(10)
𝑃max (𝑡) 440
360
1 2 3 4
All the MPPT methods have an acceptable THD of the
Time (s)
injected current which is less than 5% given in the intercon-
nection standards (CEI61727) at 1000 W/m2 . Table 1 shows all Figure 14: DC-link voltage with different MPPT.
International Journal of Photoenergy 9
40
Competing Interests
0
−40 The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9
Time (s)
References
RC
Current (A)
International Journal of
Carbohydrate Journal of
Chemistry
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Quantum Chemistry
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014
Journal of
The Scientific Analytical Methods
World Journal
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
in Chemistry
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014 http://www.hindawi.com Volume 2014