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Modeling and Simulation of Perturb and Observe

MPPT Algorithm for PV systems

Conference Paper · December 2013

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 Modeling and Simulation of Perturb and Observe
MPPT Algorithm for PV systems
H.BOUNECHBA, K. NABTI
Laboratory of Electrical Engineering
Constantine 1 University
Constantine, Algeria
Hadjer.BOUNECHBA@lec-umc.org
Abstract— Circuit model of photovoltaic (PV) module is
presented in this paper. P&O algorithm, which has a simple
structure and fewer measured parameters, is proposed and
applied to the control strategy of a DC/DC boost converter for
effective realization of MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking).
Detailed modeling procedure for the circuit model is presented
using power system block set of MATLAB/ Simulink.
Keywords- Photovoltaic module; P&O; MPPT; Boost converter;
MATLAB /Simulink
I. INTRODUCTION
As the energy demand and the environmental problems
increase, the natural energy sources have become very
important as an alternative to the conventional energy sources.
Due to the capability of PV cells converting light directly to
electricity without emissions, the PV array applications have
emerged as an important solution to the growing energy crisis
since mid 1970s[1].
The modeling and simulation of photovoltaic (PV) have
made a great transition and form an important part of power
generation in this present age. The modeling of PV module
generally involves the approximation of the non-linear I-V
curve. Many researchers used circuit based approach to
characterize the PV module of which the simplest model is the
current source in parallel to a diode. [2] - [5].
Since a PV array is an expensive system to build and the
cost of electricity from the PV array system is more expensive
compared to the price of electricity from the utility grid, the
user of such an expensive system naturally wants to use all of
the available output power [6].
In order to extract the maximum available power from a PV
source at certain atmospheric and load conditions, maximum
power point tracking (MPPT) has to be used.
Many techniques that are available mainly vary in many
aspects including simplicity, convergence speed, hardware
implementation, sensors required, and cost. The open circuit
voltage method is one of the MPPT which is based on the
observation that the voltage of the maximum power point is
always close to a fixed percentage of the open circuit voltage.
A. BOUZID and H. BENALLA
Laboratory of Electrical Engineering
Constantine 1 University
Constantine, Algeria
You.bouzid@yahoo.fr benalladz @yahoo.fr
This technique uses only 76% of the open circuit voltage as
the optimum operating voltage. The main drawbacks in this
method are energy generated by PV system is less, additional
power components are required and a static switch is needed in
open circuit voltage method so the cost will increase.
These problems can be overcome by the Perturb and
Observe method [7].
Perturbation and Observation (P&O) can track the
Maximum Power Point (MPP) all the time, irrespective of the
atmospheric conditions, type of PV panel, and even aging, by
processing actual values of PV voltage and current. Since the
cost of the required circuitry for implementing on-line MPPTs
is higher, they are usually employed for larger PV arrays. P&O
method is widely used in PV systems because of its simplicity
and ease of implementation [8].
This method operates by periodically perturbing (i.e.
incrementing or decrementing) the array terminal voltage or
current and comparing the PV output power with that of the
previous perturbation cycle. If the PV array operating voltage
changes and power increases, the control system moves the PV
array operating point in that direction, otherwise the operating
point is moved in opposite direction. In the next perturbation
cycle the algorithm continuous in the same way. The
advantages of P &O method are easy to implement, control
scheme is simple, and the cost is less compare to other
techniques and give high output power.
The proposed Perturb and Observe control algorithm is a
software program with a self-tuning function which adjusts the
array reference voltage and step size of the voltage to achieve
maximum power point.
The validity of the photovoltaic module with P&O method
allows better performance of MPPT due to variation of both
power and voltage. This work is proposed to be carried out in
MATLAB/SIMULINK environment.
II. PHOTOVOLTAIC MODELING
A. Equivalent Circuit
A mathematical description of current voltage terminal
characteristics for PV cells. The single exponential equation
which models a PV cell is derived from the physics of the PN
junction and is generally accepted as reflecting the
characteristic behavior of the cell. A double exponential
equation may be used for the polycrystalline silicon cells.
V R I
I I I [exp q 1] (1)
A T

A solar cell, which is basically a p-n semiconductor

junction directly, converts light energy into electricity. PV cells
are grouped in larger units called PV modules, which are
further interconnected in a parallel-series configuration to form
PV arrays or generators. The photovoltaic cell considered can Figure 1. PV cell circuit model.
be modeled mathematically using the following procedure:
Transmitted light is absorbed within the semiconductor, by
V R I
I N I N I [exp q 1] (2) using this light energy to excite free electrons from a low
N A T
energy status to an unoccupied higher energy level. When a
I I T [1 a T T ] (3) solar cell is illuminated, excess electron-hole pairs are
generated throughout the material, hence the p-n junction is
E
I T I T (4) electrically shorted and current flows.
E
The use of the simplified circuit model for this work makes
I T I T it suitable for power electronics designers to have an easy and
a (5)
I T T T effective model for the simulation of photovoltaic devices with
V R I power converters. The value of the parallel resistance is
I I [exp q 1] ) (6)
A T generally high and hence neglected to simplify the model.
T E A procedure based on Simulink model to determine the values
I I A exp[ ] (7) to these parameters is proposed.
T A T T

I
I T
(8) B. Reference Model
V T
A T MXS 60 PV Module is taken as the reference module for
V
simulation and the data sheet details are given in Table 1. A
R (9) block diagram of the stage by stage model based upon the
IV XV
equations of PV model is represented in Simulink environment
V T
XV I exp (10) as given. These models are developed in moderate complexity
A T A T
to include the temperature dependence of the photocurrent
Where: source, the saturation current through the diode and a series
resistance is considered based upon the shackle diode equation
V Output voltage of a PV cell [V]. as in eq (2-10). Since the main objective is to develop a
I Output current of a PV cell [A]. functional PV model for the Simulink environment, the system
N Number of modules connected in series. is modeled to supply power to the load.
N Number of modules connected in parallel.
TABLE 1. PARAMETER SPECIFICATION OF MXS 60 PV MODULE [4].
I Light generated current in a PV cell [A].
I PV cell saturation current [A]. Parameter Variable Value
R Series resistance of a PV cell [Ω]. Maximum power P 60 [W]
A Ideality factor. Maximum voltage V 17. 1 [V]
Current at max power I 3. 5 [A]
K Boltzmann constant.
Open cct voltage V 21. 06 [V]
T Cell temperature [Kelvin]. Short cct current I 3.74 [A]
q Electron charge. Total cells in series N 36
T Reference temperature [Kelvin]. Total cells in parallel N 1
I PV cell short-circuit current at 25°c and 1000[w/m ].
a Short-circuit current temperature co-efficient at I .
R Shunt resistance of a PV cell [Ω]. C. Caracteristic Of Solar Cell
E PV cell illumination [w/m ]. Figure 2.a Figure 2.b show the I-V and the P-V output
I Saturation current at T [A]. characteristics of PV module with constant irradiance at the
E Band gap for silicon [eV] constant temperatures. It is depicted that the PV output current
varies drastically with insolation conditions and there is an
optimum operating point such that the PV system delivers its
maximum possible power to the load.
 Figure 2.a. I -V characteristics (1000W/m , 25°).
Figure 2.b. P-V characteristics (1000W/m , 25°).
The I-V and P-V characteristics under constant
temperature 25° with varying irradiance are presented in
Figure 3 and 4, respectively.
Figure 3. I-V characteristic-varying irradiance- constant temperature.
Figure 4. P-V characteristic-varying irradiance-constant temperature.
The I-V and P-V characteristics under constant irradiance
with varying temperature are presented in Figure 5 and 6,
respectively. When the operating temperature increases, the
current output increases marginally but the voltage output
decreases drastically, which result in net reduction in power
output with a rise in temperature.
Figure 5. I-V characteristic-constant irradiance (1000W/m ) varying
temperature.
Figure 6. P-V characteristic-constant irradiance (1000W/m ) varying
temperature.
III. MPPT CONTROL ALGORITHM
PV system as functions of irradiance and temperature
curves are nonlinear and are crucially influenced by solar
irradiation and temperature. Furthermore, the daily solar
irradiation diagram has abrupt variations during the day. Under
these conditions, the MPP of the PV array changes
continuously; consequently the PV system’s operating point
must change to maximize the energy produced. An MPPT
technique is therefore used to maintain the PV array’s
operating point at its MPP [1].
There are many MPPT methods available in the literature
[9, 11].
A. Perturb And Observe Methods
The perturb and observe(P&O), as the name itself states
that the algorithm is based on the observation of the array
output power and on the perturbation (increment or decrement)
of the power based on increments of the array voltage or
current. The algorithm continuously increments or decrements
the reference current or voltage based on the value of the
previous power sample. The P&O is the simplest method
which senses the PV array voltage and the cost of
implementation is less and hence easy to implement. The time
complexity of this algorithm is very less but on reaching very
close to the MPP it doesn’t step at the MPP and keeps on
perturbing in both the directions [9].
The P&O algorithm states that when the operating voltage of
the PV panel is perturbed by a small increment, if the resulting
changes in power ΔP is positive, then we are going in the
direction of MPP and we keep on perturbing in the same
direction. If ΔP is negative, we are going away from the
direction of MPP and the sign of perturbation supplied has to B. Boost Converter
be changed. The boost converter configuration shown in FIG. 8 consists
The P&O algorithm operates by periodically perturbing the of DC input voltage source V , boost inductor L, controlled
array terminal voltage or current and comparing the PV output switch K, diode D, filter capacitor C, and load resistance R.
power with that of the previous perturbation cycle. First a slight
perturbation is introduced in the system, due to which the
power of the module changes. If the power increases due to
perturbation then the perturbation is continued in that direction.
After the peak power is reached, the power at the next instant
decreases and hence after that the perturbation is reversed.
The P&O method has slow dynamic response, when there is a
small increment in the value and low sampling rate is
employed. Low increments are necessary to decrease the steady Figure 8. Configuration of DC to DC converter.
state error because the P&O always makes the operating point
oscillate near the MPP. Considering that a low increment is The data sheet details of the boost DC/DC converter are
necessary to achieve a satisfactory steady state error, the given in TABLE 2.
algorithm speed may be increased with a higher sampling rate.
So there is always a compromise between the increment and TABLE. 2 COMPONENT VALUES OF DC TO DC BOOST CONVERTER.
the sampling rate in the P&O method.
Description Rating
The common problem in P&O algorithms is the array terminal
voltage is perturbed every MPPT cycle: therefore when the L 350[μH]
MPP is reached, the output power oscillates around the C 560[μF]
maximum, resulting in power loss in the PV system. This is R 50[Ω]
especially true in constant or slow-varying atmospheric
If the switch operates with a duty ratio d, the DC voltage gain
conditions.
of the boost converter is given by:
As shown in FIG.7 the P&O algorithm operates by periodically
V
perturbing the operating voltage and comparing it with the = (11)
previous instant. If the power difference ΔP and the voltage V
difference ΔV, both in the positive direction then there is an Where V is input voltage, V is output voltage and d is the
increase in the array voltage. If either the voltage difference or duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal used to
the power difference is in the negative direction then there is a control the MOSFET.
decrease in the array voltage. If both the voltage and power
difference are in the negative direction then there is an increase
in the array voltage. Similarly the next cycle is repeated until
the Maximum Power Point is tracked.

Figure 9. Configuration of PV system in simulink.

Figure 9. shows the configuration of PV system built in

Simulink. It consists of a PV module model, a boost converter,
MPPT algorithm and PWM generator. The inputs of the PV
module are the solar irradiance and the ambient temperature.
The output produced by the PV module is the PV current,
which acts as a controlled current source for the input of the
boost converter.
Figure 10. shows the configurations of MPPT algorithms in
Simulink according to the flow chart of P&O method explained
in Figure 7.
Figure 7. Flowchart of perturb and observe (P&O) control technique.
 Figure 14. Output power of the PV array.
Figure 10. configurations of (p&o) mppt algorithm in simulink.

IV. SIMULATION RESULTS

A. Without MPPT
The power, the voltage and the current at the output of the
PV array during the direct connection between the PV and a
resistive load and are presented in Figures 11, 12, 13
respectively.

Figure 15.Output voltage of the PV array.

Figure 11. Output power of the PV array.

Figure 16. Output current of the PV array.

Figure 12. Output voltage of the PV array.

Figure 17. Output power of the boost converter.

Figure 13. Output current of the PV array.

B. With MPPT
Figures 14, 15, 16 show the waveforms of the power, Figure 18. Output voltage of the boost converter.
current and the voltage of the panel during the phase of
operation at maximum power, the power being 60 [W].
 We note that the point of operation at maximum power is
reached after a few seconds of applying the MPPT algorithm.
The results obtained are satisfactory. They clearly show that the
extraction of energy from solar panels being maximized and
independent of weather conditions.
V. CONCLUSION
The mathematical modeling of PV array, the P-V and I-V
curves obtained from the simulation of the PV array designed
in MATLAB/Simulink environment explains its dependence on
the temperature and irradiation levels is presented in this
paper.The implementation of the MPPT algorithm is done.
The P&O MPPT algorithm with a DC-DC boost converter is
discussed. Thus, the Photovoltaic system works most of time
with maximum efficiency.
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