Optimum Power Extraction from Non-Uniform Aged PV Array Using Current Collector Optimizer Topology

  • A. Refaat
  • M.H. Osman
  • N.V. Korovkin
Keywords: photovoltaic system, current collector optimizer (CCO), non-uniform aging, PV array characteristics, mismatch power losses, offline rearrangement, reconfiguration techniques

Abstract

Harsh outdoor operating circumstances of photovoltaic (PV) array leads to non-uniform aging phenomenon among PV panels which in turn reduces the life span of the PV modules and the energy efficiency of the whole array. Under non-uniform aging conditions for series-parallel (SP) connected PV modules, the characteristics of the entire PV array are deformed resulting in multiple peaks where one of them is the global peak. The appearance of such multiple peaks can mislead traditional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques to get trapped at local peaks, which leads to misleading power losses. This paper proposes a current collector optimizer (CCO) topology to extract maximum power from a non-uniform aged PV array. By using CCO topology, the PV array characteristics have a unique maximum power point (MPP) which easy to follow by a simple MPPT algorithm. Consequently, the proposed topology does not suffer from misleading power losses. Besides, the CCO topology requires offline rearrangement of aged modules to obtain the optimal maximum power. A comparative study is conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed topology. Ultimately, the paper presents an offline algorithm for rearranging erratic aged CCO modules to extract the optimum power from large-scale PV arrays.

Author Biographies

A. Refaat

Refaat A. — Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University.

M.H. Osman

Osman M.H. — Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University.

N.V. Korovkin

Korovkin N.V. – Professor, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, Russia.

References

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Y. Mahmoud and E.F. El-saadany, Enhanced Reconfiguration Method for Reducing Mismatch Losses in PV Systems. - IEEE J. Photovoltaics, vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 1746-1754, 2017.

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T.S. Babu, J.P. Ram, T. Dragmevte, M. Miyatake, F. Blaabjerg, and N. Rajasekar, Particle Swarm Optimization Based Solar PV Array Reconfiguration of the Maximum Power Extraction Under Partial Shading Conditions. - IEEE Trans. Sustain. ENERGY, vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 74-85, 2018.

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B.M. Antonov, V.A. Labuntsov, and A.T. Sultanov, Analysis of transient modes for the current adder of MHD-generator. - Elektrichestvo, No. 4, pp. 32-38, 1989.

A. Ndiaye, C. M. F. kiibii, P. A. Ndiaye, A. Charki, A. Kobi, and V. Sambou, A Novel Method for Investigating Photovoltaic Module Degradation. - Energy Procedia, vol. 36, pp. 1222-1231, 2013.

A. Refaat, A. Kalas, A. Daoud, and F. Bendary, A Control Methodology of Grid-Connected PV System to Verify The Standard. - IEEE 929-2000. Proceedings of the 15th Internaional Middel East Power System Conference (MEPCON12), 2012.

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Y. Hu, J. Zhang, J. Wu, W. Cao, G.Y. Tian, and J.L. Kirtley, Efficiency Improvement of Non-Uniformly-Aged PV Arrays. — IEEE Trans. Power Electron., vol. 32, No. 2, 2017.

Y. Hu, J. Zhang, P. Li, D. Yu, and L. Jiang, Non-Uniform Aged Modules Reconfiguration for Large-Scale PV Array. — IEEE Trans. DEVICE Mater. Reliab., vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 560-569, 2017.

S.K. Das, D. Verma, S. Nema, and R.K. Nema, Shading mitigation techniques: State-of-the-art in photovoltaic applications. - Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 78, pp. 369-390, 2017.

E. Kandemir, N.S. Cetin, and S. Borekci, A comprehensive overview of maximum power extraction methods for PV systems. - Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 78, pp. 93-112, 2017.

S. Djordjevic, D. Parlevliet, and P. Jennings, Detectable faults on recently installed solar modules in Western Australia. - Renew. Energy, pp. 1-7, 2013.

P. Udenze, Y. Hu, H. Wen, X. Ye, and K. Ni, A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels. - Energies, vol. 11, No. 10, pp. 1-15, 2018.

M. Balato, L. Costanzo, and M. Vitelli, Multi-objective optimization of PV arrays performances by means of the dynamical reconfiguration of PV modules connections. - 2015 International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications ICRERA 2015), 2015, vol. 5, pp. 1646-1650.

Y. Mahmoud and E.F. El-saadany, Enhanced Reconfiguration Method for Reducing Mismatch Losses in PV Systems. - IEEE J. Photovoltaics, vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 1746-1754, 2017.

Y. Mahmoud and E. El-saadany, A Novel MPPT Technique based on an Image of PV Modules. - IEEE Trans. Energy Convers., vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 213-221, 2016.

A. Refaat, A. Kalas, A. Daoud, and F. Bendary, A Control Methodology of Three Phase Grid Connected PV System. - Clemson University Power Systems Conference (PSC 2013), 2013.

A. Refaat, M. Elgamal, and N.V. Korovkin, A Novel Photovoltaic Current Collector Optimizer to Extract Maximum Power during Partial Shading or Mismatch Conditions. - 2019 IEEE Conference of Russian Young Researchers in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EIConRus), 2019, pp. 407-412.

M. Uno and A. Kukita, Single-Switch Voltage Equalizer Using Multistacked Buck-Boost Converters for Partially Shaded Photovoltaic Modules. - IEEE Trans. Power Electron., vol. 30, No. 6, pp. 3091-3105, 2015.

S. Sajwan, M.K. Singh, and S. Urooj, Physical Relocation of PV Panel for optimization of power under PSC in PV Array. - 2018 IEEMA Engineer Infinite Conference (eTechNxT), 2018.

M.L. Orozco-Gutierrez, G. Spagnuolo, J.M. Ramirez-Scarpetta, G. Petrone, and C.A. Ramos-Paja, Optimized Configuration of Mismatched Photovoltaic Arrays. - IEEE J. PHOTOVOLTAICS, vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 1210-1220, 2016.

T.S. Babu, J.P. Ram, T. Dragmevte, M. Miyatake, F. Blaabjerg, and N. Rajasekar, Particle Swarm Optimization Based Solar PV Array Reconfiguration of the Maximum Power Extraction Under Partial Shading Conditions. - IEEE Trans. Sustain. ENERGY, vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 74-85, 2018.

V. Darmini and K. Sunitha, Comparison of Solar PV Array Configuration Methods under Different Shading Patterns. - 2017 International Conference on Technological Advancements in Power and Energy (TAP Energy), 2017.

H. Liu, L. Wan, and B. Pei,‘Optimal Scheme of PV Array in Partial Shading?: A Reconfiguration Algorithm. - 2016 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation, 2016, pp. 2105-2109.

A. Refaat and N. Korovkin, A New Photovoltaic Current Collector Optimizer to Enhance the Performance of Centralized Inverter Topologies. International Scientific Conference Energy Management of Municipal Facilities and Sustainable Energy Technologies. - EMMFT 2018, Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing 982 (1), V. Murgul and M. Pasetti, Eds. Springer International Publishing, 2019.

B.M. Antonov, V.A. Labuntsov, and A.T. Sultanov, Analysis of transient modes for the current adder of MHD-generator. - Elektrichestvo, No. 4, pp. 32-38, 1989.

A. Ndiaye, C. M. F. kiibii, P. A. Ndiaye, A. Charki, A. Kobi, and V. Sambou, A Novel Method for Investigating Photovoltaic Module Degradation. - Energy Procedia, vol. 36, pp. 1222-1231, 2013.

A. Refaat, A. Kalas, A. Daoud, and F. Bendary, A Control Methodology of Grid-Connected PV System to Verify The Standard. - IEEE 929-2000. Proceedings of the 15th Internaional Middel East Power System Conference (MEPCON12), 2012.

Published
2019-10-01
Section
Article