IEEE - 43488
Mathematical Modelling and Simulation of
Photovoltaic Module using MATLAB/SIMULINK
Nupur Yadav
Department of Electrical Engineering
Rajasthan Technical University
Kota, India 324010
nupuryadav.ny@gmail.com
Abstract— Photovoltaic (PV) array which consists of series
and parallel connected modules is the fundamental building block
of a photovoltaic energy conversion system. PV array shows non-
linear characteristics and evaluating the operating characteristics
under time varying environmental conditions is a too costly and
time-consuming task. To avoid these hindrances, an elementary
and a basic model of PV array were modeled and incorporated to
different software involving MATLAB / SIMULINK. Although,
these PV models are not appropriate for operation, including
hybrid energy network because these systems require pliant
tuning of various parameters and cannot be easy to understand.
So, this paper describes a step by step method to simulate PV array
using MATLAB / SIMULINK. An MSX 64W PV panel has been
taken as a base model. The characteristic's curves of PV module
are also evaluated at a broad range of environmental
circumstances and physical parameters. The effects of partial
shading conditions on PV characteristics are also discussed.
Keywords: Photovoltaic module, partial shading conditions
(PSC), P-V characteristics, I-V characteristics, MATLAB /
SIMULINK.
I. INTRODUCTION
The mathematical modelling keeps on updating to have a
good understanding of PV module. These models are differed
by the type of software used for modelling i.e. C-programming,
Matlab, Simulink or the developed toolboxes. A PV cell is
modeled by a current source, and an anti-parallel diode coupled
with it. PV module is easy to design and requiring low
maintenance. It can be used as a standalone system provides
output in a wide range or can be connected to a utility grid.
A. Background
A function has been developed to evaluate the PV current
with the input data of voltage, temperature, and irradiance [1,
2]. The effect of various parameter variations on operating
characteristics is analyzed on the basis of these parameters.
However, this method requires readers programming skills to
follow. Gow and Manning [3] proposed another method by
incorporating both MATLAB m-file and C-language
programming. This one is more complicated to understand.
Salmi [4] developed a model on the basis of solar cell
mathematical equations and built using Simulink environment.
The effect of various parameters i.e. series Rs and shunt Rsh
resistance of PV cell, diode quality factor, temperature and
irradiance is investigated [5]. However, these papers do not give
much emphasis on the step by step simulation procedure. This
drawback is filled-in [6-10], but they do not incorporate the
consideration of partial shading conditions(PSC). Nural Afiqah
9th ICCCNT 2018
July 10-12, 2018, IISC, Bengaluru
Bengaluru, India
D.K. Sambariya
Department of Electrical Engineering
Rajasthan Technical University
Kota, India 324010
dsambariya_2003@yahoo.com
et al.[11] and Umang D. Bhavsar et al. [12] simulated a model
using MATLAB Simulink, to determine the PV module
behavior under various conditions and also verified the result by
theoretical calculations. Hegazy and El-sayed [13] proposed a
new triple junction PV cell for high efficiency, but the effect of
PSC is not much emphasized.
Banu and Istrate [14] used experimental data and Lookup
tables to build solar module characteristics curves. One
disadvantage of this method is that it is not feasible to gather all
needed data if no experimental setup be available. Ibbini et al.
[15] and Venkaeswarlu et al. [16] proposed a solar cell block.
In this, the input parameters i.e. open circuit voltage (Voc), short
circuit current (Isc) etc. is given by manufacturers. But the
drawback is some parameter, i.e. saturation current; temperature
cannot be calculated by this approach.Varshney and Tariq [17]
developed solar module in the Simulink environment using Tag
tools. In these papers mainly, the environmental irradiance and
temperature’s influence on PV characteristics curve are
analyzed without giving much consideration on step by step
procedure for simulation.
In general, although having so many positive and negative
points, various methods have some common gaps as follows:
x These methods are not sufficient to study the effect of a
different environmental and physical parameters on
operating characteristics and specially PSC.
x The absence of step by step procedure which cause
difficulties to understand.
Therefore, here a model proposes in Simulink environment.
This proposed model can analyses effect of all parameter
variation on PV cell characteristics. A step by step procedure to
simulate the model is also present.
II. METHODOLOGY
A. Mathematical modelling of PV cell
The Fig. 1 demonstrates the equivalent circuit of a PV cell.
The current source I ph shows the cell photocurrent. The
intrinsic series and shunt resistance are represented by Rs and
Rsh respectively. Normally Rsh is highly large while Rs is small.
The Series resistance represents the restriction in the current
path, while shunt resistance represents the leakage current. In
[6], these resistances are neglected for the ease of analysis.
usually, PV cell is connected in large units become PV modules
and then many modules are clamped in series and shunt to
become PV array.
 IEEE - 43488

The V-I characteristics equation for a solar cell is as follows k uT

[7, 18]. With Vt (6)
q

Vu  I u Rs
Np
Rs I
And I sh Ns (7)
Iph Rsh
Id
Rsh
V Where, Rs - Series Resistance
Rsh - shunt resistance
Vt - diode thermal resistance

B. Reference model-
Fig 1 PV cell equivalent circuit [4] The 64W solar module has been taken as a base module and
detailed specifications are given in TABLE I:
From Fig. 1 the output current of solar cell is calculated as:
TABLE I. DESCRIPTION OF SOLAR CELL PARAMETER [7]
I I ph  I d  I sh (1) Name MSX 64 W
Maximum Power(Pm) 60 W
I ph is module photocurrent: Voltage@ Pmax (Vm) 17.1 V
Current at@Pmax (Im) 3.5 A
I ph [I sc  k i (T  Tr )]G (2) Guaranteed Minimum Pm 58 W
Short Circuit Current(Isc) 3.8A
Where, ‫ܫ‬௦௖ െshort circuit current (A) Open Circuit Voltage(Voc) 21.1V
Temperature Coefficient of Voc -(80±10) mv/Ԩ
݇௜ - short circuit current at 25° C and 1000W/݉ଶ Temperature Coefficient of Isc (0.065±0.15)%/Ԩ
T- working temperature
III. PV ARRAYS MODELLING PROCEDURE
ܶ௥ -reference Temperature i.e. 25° ‫ܥ‬ A mathematical model of PV array involving current source,
G- solar irradiance per 1000 W m 2 an anti-parallel diode, series and parallel resistance are modeled.
Simulation of PV module is modeled in Simulink environment.
I rs is Module reverse saturation current: PV array is modelled with Tags. TheStep by Step procedure is
as follows:
I sc
I rs (3) Step 1:Put the values of constant parameters as given
§ qvoc · following:
exp ¨ ¸  1] N S : no of series-connected cell =36; n is ideality factor=1.2; k
© N s knT ¹
is Boltzmann’s constant = 1.3805 u 1023 J/k; N P : no of parallel
Where, q- charge of the electron
connected cell =1; G is solar irradiance per 1000 W m 2 =1; q is
ܸ௢௖ -Open circuit voltage
charge of electron = 1.6 u 1019 C; series resistance Rs ȍ
ܰ௦ - series connected cells
shunt resistance Rsh ȍ
݇-Boltzmann’s constant
Step 2:Module photocurrent which is provided in (2), is
݊íDiode ideality Factor designed as Fig. 2
I o is Saturation current of solar module, depends on working I ph [I sc  k i (T  Tr )]G (8)
temperature such as:
3
ªT º ª q u E go § 1 1 ·º
Io I rs « » exp « ¨  ¸» (4)
¬ Tr ¼ «¬ nk © T Tr ¹ »¼
Where E g - semiconductor energy band gap

So, the output current of PV cell is

ª § V I u Rs · º
« ¨N  N ¸ »
N p u I ph  N p u I o u «exp ¨ ¸  1»  I (5)
s p
« ¨ ¸ » sh
I
n u Vt
« ¨ ¸ »
«¬ © ¹ »¼ Fig. 2 Modeled circuit for (2)

9th ICCCNT 2018

July 10-12, 2018, IISC, Bengaluru
Bengaluru, India
 IEEE - 43488

Step 3: Module reverse saturation current is provided in (3), Step 6 :Modelled circuit according to (5) and complete the
is formed as Fig. 3 solar module as depict in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.

Fig. 6 Overall solar photovoltaic current

Fig. 3 circuit for (3)

Step 4:Saturation current which is provided in (3), modeled as

Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 Solar subsystem module

Fig. 4 Modeled circuit for (4)
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Step 5:Modeled circuit for diode current as Fig. 5. With this simulated model, PV array characteristics are
obtained. These characteristics are obtained by varying some
environmental or physical parameters. The resultant Points are:
I. PV cell characteristics under time varying
irradiance and constant temperature are shown in
Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. In this irradiance varies as 100,
2
500 and 1000 W m with constant temperature at
250 C .

In Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 the red line curve represents

2
Solar characteristics at 1000 W m , blue line show
2
irradiance at 500 W m and the green line depict
2
irradiation at 100 W m .

x Summary-When irradiance increases, the solar output

Fig. 5 Modeled circuit for diode current voltage and current are also increases. As a results
Output power also increases.

9th ICCCNT 2018

July 10-12, 2018, IISC, Bengaluru
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 IEEE - 43488

100 7
75 C
1000W/sqm
50 C
500W/sqm 6
25 C
80
100W/sqm
5

60
4
Power(P)

Current(A)
3
40

20
1

0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Voltage(V)
voltage(V)

Fig. 8 Output P-V plot with varying solar irradiation Fig. 10 Output I-V plot with varying ambient temperature

5 25 C
1000w/sqm 120
50 C
500W/sqm 75 C
4 100W/sqm 100

80
3
Power(W)
Current(I)

60
2
40

1
20

0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Voltage(V) Voltage(V)

Fig. 9 Output I-V plot with varying solar irradiation Fig. 11 Output P-V plot with Varying operating temperature

II. I-V and P-V curves under different temperature and
constant irradiance are plotted in Fig. 10 and
Fig.11. Here, temperature changes from 25, 50 and
2
75 0 C with constant irradiance at 1000 W m .
In Fig. 10 and Fig. 11, the red line curve shows
atmospheric temperature at 75 0 C , blue line
shows the temperature at 50 0 C and similarly
green line is for 25 0 C temperature.
x Summary- when temperature increases then the solar
output current raise slightly but the output voltage
decreases drastically. As a result, power output reduces.
x Solar characteristics for various values of shunt
resistance Rsh along with constant temperature and
irradiation are given in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Here, Rsh
has values of 10,100 and 1000 ohm.
In Fig. 12 and Fig.13 the red line illustrates a condition
of 1000 ohm shunt resistance, blue line is for 100 ohms
shunt resistance and the green line represents the value
of 10 ohm .
x Summary- When solar shunt resistance changes from
ȍWRȍWKHYROWDJHDQGFXUUHQWYDOXHGHFUHDVHV
slightly. As a result, power output reduces.

9th ICCCNT 2018

July 10-12, 2018, IISC, Bengaluru
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 IEEE - 43488

100 200
1000 ohm Ns=36,Np=1

100 ohm Ns=36,Np=2

80 Ns=72,Np=1
10 ohm
150

60
Power(P)

Power(P)
100

40

50
20

0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 10 20 30 40 50
Voltage(V) Voltage(V)

Fig. 12 Output P-V curve with Varying shunt resistance Rsh Fig. 14 Output P-V plot with Varying Ns and Np

5 10
1000 ohm Ns=36,Np=1
100 ohm Ns=36,Np=2

10 ohm Ns=72,Np=1
4 8

3 6
Current(I)
Current(I)

2 4

1 2

0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 10 20 30 40 50
Voltage(V) Voltage(V)

Fig. 13 Output I-V plot with Varying shunt resistance Rsh Fig. 15 Output I-V plot with Varying Ns and Np

III. By varying the no. of series and shunt connected To analyses the PSC on solar array, following cases is
cells, characteristics are plotted in Fig. 14 and Fig. considered.
15. Case Description
1 No PSC; all module is operated with 1000W/݉ଶ
x Summary-when modules are clamped in series ( N s =72) One module receives 500W/ ݉ଶ irradiance
2
then the current remains same as previous ( N s =36) but while remaining receive 1000W/݉ଶ
due to increase in no. of series connected cells, output Two Modules receive 500W/ ݉ଶ while
3
remaining receive 1000W/݉ଶ
voltage gets double and hence the power doubles.
Two modules receive 500W/ ݉ଶ , other two
x When cells are clamped in parallel ( N p =2), output 4 modules receive 250 W/݉ଶ , while remaining
receive 1000W/݉ଶ
voltage is not affected (same as N p =1) but the current
and power output doubles.

9th ICCCNT 2018

July 10-12, 2018, IISC, Bengaluru
Bengaluru, India
 IEEE - 43488

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Fig. 17 Output P-V plot with Partial Shading Condition
x Summary-When solar array operates under PSC then the
net power output reduces. Multiple peaks along with
global peak are obtained in PSC as shown in Fig. 16 and
Fig. 17.
V. CONCLUSION:
A step by step method for simulating PV array is presented.
This method provides an easy, reliable and very flexible method
to tune PV array with other hybrid systems along with time
varying environmental conditions (i.e. irradiation, temperature
and partial shading conditions) and/or varying physical
parameters (solar module resistance, ideality factors etc.).The
characteristics curves are developed using simulated modules,
and the obtained results are well matched with the datasheet
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V and I-V curves.
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9th ICCCNT 2018

July 10-12, 2018, IISC, Bengaluru
Bengaluru, India