International Journal on Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, (IJAEEE), ISSN (Print): 2278-8948, Volume-1, Issue-1, 2012

9


Simulation Analyis of Maximum Power Control of
Photo Voltaic Power System



Venkatesh Busa, Kiran Kumar Narsingoju & G.Vijay Kumar
Department of EEE, Sri Chaitanya College of Engineering, Karimnagar, India
E-mail : venkatesh.busa@gmail.com, Kiran.eee28@gmail.com & gudlavijaykumar@gmail.com
.

Abstract - As primary energy source such as coal and oil has been dried up and has bad influence on environment, human urgently
need renewable energy which is friendly to environment. So in the future, solar energy will be very important energy source. It is
noticeable that the output characteristics of a PV array are influenced by the environment factors, and the conversion efficiency of
PV arrays is very low. Photovoltaic array simulations can be used to find better methods to implement maximum power point
tracking (MPPT) control for efficient solar power systems. Photovoltaic cells model of photovoltaic power generation system and
basic control algorithm is discussed in this paper. MPPT control based on perturbation & observation (P&O) method and
incremental conductance (IncCond) method is respectively simulated in Matlab/Simulink. The simulation analysis shows that P&O
method is simple, but has considerable power loss. IncCond method has more precise control and faster response, but has
correspondingly higher hardware requirement. In practice, in order to achieve maximum efficiency of photovoltaic power
generation, a reasonable and economical control method should be chosen.
Keywords - Photovoltaic power generation; MPPT; P&O method; IncCond method; Matlab/Simulink.

I. INTRODUCTION
Photovoltaic power generation system is a main
effective way of using solar energy, which can convert
sunlight radiation directly into electricity through the
photovoltaic effect, and has broad prospects for
development with a series of advantages such as clean
and pollution-free, noise-free, and renewable[1].
However, as the external environment such as sunlight
intensity, temperature of PV panels etc., often change
over time, PV arrays can not work at maximum output
power point continuously. So electrical energy that PV
array injects into the grid or load decreases, and energy
conversion efficiency is also very low[2].In order to
make photovoltaic arrays output more power in the
same sunshine, temperature and other conditions, power
electronic devices with maximum power point tracker
(MPPT) control should be used in photovoltaic power
generation system[3]. In this paper, firstly the equivalent
model of photovoltaic cells is established, then
photovoltaic arrays are constructed as the basis for
building a Simulink model and completing the
simulation. The output characteristics of photovoltaic
cells are analyzed. Secondly, several commonly
methods of the MPPT control is disserted in this paper.
Finally, modeling and simulation are used to compare
and analyze advantage and disadvantage of these MPPT
control methods.
This research will help photovoltaic power generation
system getting high photovoltaic conversion efficiency,
working at the maximum output power, and utilizing
solar energy more efficiently.
II. MODELING AND SIMULATION OF PV
CELLS
A. Equivalent model of PV cells
The mathematical model of photovoltaic cells need
to be established to study the characteristics of
photovoltaic cells, Characteristics of photovoltaic cells
can be obtained through the study of photovoltaic cells
model[4]. PV Equivalent circuit model is shown in
Figure 1

Figure 1. The equivalent circuit of PV cells
Simulation Analyis of Maximum Power Control of Photo Voltaic Power System

International Journal on Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, (IJAEEE), ISSN (Print): 2278-8948, Volume-1, Issue-1, 2012
10

B. Modeling and Simulation of the PV array
According to the output characteristic equation, the
PV array model is established as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Simulink model of PV array

P-V, V-I characteristic curves shown in Figure 3 are
obtained through Simulink simulation of photovoltaic
array model, where, left for the P-V curve, right for the
V-I curve. From the characteristic curve, photovoltaic
cells is neither constant voltage nor constant current
source, and it is a nonlinear DC power supply.

Figure 3. P-V, V-I characteristic curve of PV array
simulation
III. MAXIMUM POWER POINT TRACKER
(MPPT) CONTROL
A. MPPT algorithm principle
PV array output characteristic curve is shown in
Figure 4. Assume that curves1 and curve2 are output
characteristic curves of the PV array under different
light intensity[5]. Point A and point B are the
corresponding maximum power output; and at certain
point, the system runs at the point A .
When the light intensity changes, output
characteristics curve of the PV array rises to curve2
from curve1. Meanwhile, if the load1 remains invariant,
the system will run at the point A , which deviated from
the maximum power point of the corresponding light
intensity. In order to continue to track the maximum
power point, the system load characteristics should be
changed to load2 from load1. Then the system is
ensured for running on the new maximum power point
B.
Similarly, if the light intensity changes, the output
characteristics of photovoltaic arrays drops to curve1
from curve2, and the corresponding operating point
changes from point B to point B , Then, load2 should be
adjusted to load1 to ensure that the system is still
operating at maximum power point under case of
reduction of light intensity [6] .
B. Perturbation observation (P&O) method
Classical P&O algorithm is summarized as
follows[7]: PV system controller change PV array
output with a smaller step in each control cycle. The
step size is generally fixed while mode can also be
increased or decreased. Both PV array output voltage
and output current can be the control object, so this
process is called "perturbation"; then, by comparing PV
array output power of the cycles before and after the
perturbation.

Figure 4. MPPT algorithm analysis diagram

If power output is increased, perturbation" will
continue to work follow the direction in the previous
cycle, else, if power output is decreased, perturbation"
will change the direction. In this way, the actual
operating point of PV array can move closer to the
maximum power point, and ultimately back and forth to
reach steady state in a relatively small area . Flow chart
for P&O method given below.



Simulation Analyis of Maximum Power Control of Photo Voltaic Power System

International Journal on Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, (IJAEEE), ISSN (Print): 2278-8948, Volume-1, Issue-1, 2012
11



Fig5. flow chart for P&O algorithm
C. Incremental conductance (IncCond) method
Incremental conductance method is one of common
MPPT control algorithm[8]. P-V characteristic curve of
the PV array indicated that its power - voltage curve is a
single peak curve, and there exists a unique point of
maximum power where the derivative of power to
voltage is zero.
Due to P =V . I , at the maximum power point exists
follow :


0 = + =
dV
dI
I
dV
dP
(1)
That is dI / dV = -I /V ,This equation is the maximum
power point conditions.
dI = I (k) - I (k -1) (2)
dV = V (k) -V (k -1) (3)
dP = P(k)-P(k -1) =V(k).I(k)-V(k -1). I(k -1) (4)

If dI / dV < I /V , the PV operating point is at the
right of maximum power point, then the output voltage
should be reduced.
If dI / dV > I /V ,he PV operating point is at the
left of maximum power point, the output voltage should
be increased.
Summarized as follows:
When max V >V, then dI / dV < I /V ;
When max V <V , then dI / dV > I /V ;
While max V = V, then dI / dV = I /V .
Operating voltage can be adjusted with the relationship
between dI / dV and I /V in order to achieve maximum
power point tracker. flow chart for Inc conductance
algorithm given below.

Fig6. flow chart for Inc conductance algorithm.
D. Modified Incremental conductance (IncCond)
method
All modifications described above can be
summarized in the flowchart:
It has the following five stages:
1. Calculation of the power and the increments in the
power, voltage and current.
2. Determining the rate of change in the reference
voltage by taking into account, first the step
changes and then the six cases depending on the
value of I.
3. Core algorithm (P&O or InCond as shown in Figure
12 or Figure 22 respectively).
Simulation Analyis of Maximum Power Control of Photo Voltaic Power System

International Journal on Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, (IJAEEE), ISSN (Print): 2278-8948, Volume-1, Issue-1, 2012
12

4. Determining the irradiation slope, by comparing the
last three increments in the current and power, and
adjusting Vref .
5. Setting limits in the reference voltage so it is within
the minimum and maximum input voltages of the
converter.


Fig7: Flowchart of the proposed modified algorithm
IV. PV SYSTEM MPPT CONTROL SIMULATION
The photovoltaic power generation system
including: Photovoltaic modules, MPPT module, PWM
module and Boost converter module[9]. The maximum
power point tracker module is described mainly in this
paper.
A. MPPT control simulation based on P&O method
Photovoltaic system simulation model based on
P&O method control is shown in Figure 8:

Figure 8. Simulation model based on P&O method

Design idea of this module is: next change or
perturbation direction is decided by the change of power
value. If the power value increases, the voltage
perturbation will maintain the same direction,
meanwhile, if the power value decreases, the voltage
perturbation will turn into the opposite direction. The
direction of the voltage perturbation is decided by
whether V
k
is greater than V
k-1
. Power change can be
detected by comparing the previous power value and the
current power value, which is used to calculate the
control signal of PWM.
The simulation result is shown in Figure 9. The
figure is the power waveform with time. It can be seen
from the figure, the simulation waveform of MPPT
control based on P&O method has overshoot in the
beginning and shaking up and down regularly afterward
until it reaches a stable equilibrium state. Because
output power change of PV system has been decided
from comparison between adjacent time in operation of
the MPPT control based on P&O method. Only the
output power values of adjacent time reach the same the
control action will stop. This situation generally does
not exist in practice.

Figure 9. Simulation results based on IncCond
B. MPPT control simulation based on IncCond method
Photovoltaic system simulation model based on
IncCond method control is shown in Figure 10:
In this MPPT module based on IncCond method ,
Output voltage and current of the PV array is the input
of module, and a derivative module is used in this
module.
Firstly it necessary to verify whether V
k
is equal to
V
k-1
, then the current relationship or the relationship
between Conductance change and instantaneous
conductance negative value is judged respectively, and
ultimately the direction of voltage perturbation is
determined. Step size is still chosen as 0.01 here.
Simulation Analyis of Maximum Power Control of Photo Voltaic Power System

International Journal on Advanced Electrical and Electronics Engineering, (IJAEEE), ISSN (Print): 2278-8948, Volume-1, Issue-1, 2012
13

The simulation result is shown in Figure 11. It can
be seen from the figure that the PV system remains at a
maximum output power point, rather than shocking near
the maximum power point after achievement of
maximum output power, which is consistent with the
basic theory of IncCond method MPPT control
described above.

Figure 10. Simulation model based on IncCond method

Maximum power point after achievement of
maximum output power, which is consistent with the
basic theory of IncCond method MPPT control
described above.
The reason is that there is always a certain error in
determining relationship between dI / dV and I /V ( dI /
dV = I /V ), while this error is not completely ignored
to the software or computing precision. Therefore in a
certain range, change of step size has not very
significant effects on output power of PV system.

Figure 11. Simulation results based on IncCond
V. CONCLUSION
Photovoltaic cell simulation model is established in
this paper, and output characteristics of photovoltaic
array is studied and analyzed. Then two common MPPT
control module based on two control algorithms is
describes and a photovoltaic system MPPT control
simulation model is built and simulated in
Matlab/Simulink.
Comparison of this two methods result leads to the
conclusion: both methods can realize the maximum
power point tracker control. The P&O method is easier
to achieve due to less demanding on hardware, but will
have some power loss because PV array can only run in
oscillation way around the maximum power point. The
IncCond method has more precise control and smaller
steady-state oscillation than P&O method, but hardware
requirements are relatively higher.
In practice, various factors should be considered to
choose a reasonable and economical control method to
achieve maximum efficiency.
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