MPPT SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER
FOR HIGH VOLTAGE THIN FILM PV MODULES
Wojciech GRZESIAK
Institute of Electron Technology Krakow Division
ul. Zablocie 39, 30-701 Krakow
ABSTRACT
The work deals with a PV battery charge regulator
assigned for advanced CdTe modules of output voltage
much higher than the popular values of the order 12 or
24V nominally.
As at the same time most of the nominal PV
autonomous installation voltages generally remain on the
12 or 24V level because of convenience, technical
tradition and battery features this high DC modules
voltage has to be transformed to a proper lower value by
means of DC/DC inverter of possibly high efficiency. A
new own developed 60/12V charge controller solution is
presented. This charge controller is equipped with a step-
down inverter version furnished with modern MPP
tracking technique. The choice of MPPT algorithm and its
realisation by means of microprocessor are explained and
discussed as well as final test and measurement results.
Very satisfactory exploitation results permit to estimate the
solution as a valuable one for the new high voltage
modules` market.
INTRODUCTION
The advanced CdTe modules begin at the moment to
play a significant role on the market, mainly because of
prices, evidently lower than those of the other module
types. While the average efficiency of the CdTe industrial
mass products is of the order of 11%, the laboratory
parties reach 17% and the theoretical maximal level is
25%. The developing technological data of these modules
will certainly make them still more competitive in
comparison with similar traditional products. Thin film
CdTe modules of the VOC voltage much higher than the Si
conventional ones have recently appeared on the markets.
The tendency of operations with rather higher voltages,
not currents, seems to be quite expedient, as acting
towards minimizing the losses in saturated
semiconductors and in resistive fractions of impedances,
used in power networks.
In PV technique notions of the high voltage definition
are limited to values generally not exceeding 1kV, being
usually the semiconductors upper reverse voltage. The
output voltages of panels of the order of 0,5 to 1kV are
exploited only in PV high power installations, cooperating
with mains network. Popular low and medium DC power
installations, being here the point of interest, generally
operate at 12 or 24 nominal voltage, what means that
generally their modules voltage is not much higher. These
two typical voltages result from convenience, technical
1-4244-0016-3/06/$20.00 2006 IEEE
tradition and battery practice and rather remain
unchanged while the nominal voltages of advanced
modules, like CdTe, are growing three- or four times in
comparison with voltages of conventional modules. Thats
the reason, why such CdTe modules are called
colloquially the high voltage modules in contradistinction
to ordinary ones.
The technical cooperation between PV modules of
output voltage much higher than the nominal voltage of
the PV installation and battery creates new difficult
technical problems to overcome. In any way they deal with
a certain new type of charge controller, which is always a
main part of every PV installation. This work tries to
present a version of such a controller, while the market of
these products is still almost empty.
DISCUSSION ON BASIC SOLUTIONS
Among three basic elements of PV installations i.e.
module, battery and charge controller this last one plays
the main and complex role. One of its tasks is if
necessary to deliver as much PV energy as possible to
the load or battery. Besides this process must be carried
on with maximal obtainable efficiency. These two
demands have to be fulfilled worse or better in every
technical case of the designed installation. The situation is
complicated because of very special shape of PV
modules I-U characteristics and of continuously variable
and thus unstable source data, depending on insolation.
There are three possible ways of coupling the PV
module with the load or battery.
The first one, equipped with direct charging circuit relies
on direct connection of the module and battery by means
only of an auxiliary series diode, preventing the battery
from discharging. The solution is simple and cheap, but
obviously limited to situations, when the modules voltage
exceeds that of the battery, what is the basic condition of
current flow. The presented work deals with modules of
high voltage of the order of 60 to 80V, so in case
of-say-12V battery this condition is fulfilled in opposition to
the demand of sufficient PV power efficiency of the
installation. As results from practical exemplary graph
showing a 70V 70W modules I-U function (Fig.1.) the
higher is the voltage difference between battery and the
functions knee voltage the lower is the efficiency of the
PV battery loading process. In this concrete illustrated
example the 12V battery is powered by only 13W, while
the maximum power of the module obtainable at Maximum
Power Point situated on the functions knee reaches
70W. In another words the 12V battery is charged with
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 only 18,6% of power offered by the module, while a 70V
battery if such exists might be loaded with 100%
power efficiency.
Fig.1. Exemplary I,P=f(U) plot
Its evident then, that the first way of direct coupling the
module and battery is completely not suitable from the
point of view of efficiency in case of significant differences
in voltages of these two elements.
The second way of matching these differences is the
implementing of a DC/DC inverter, acting in a similar way
as a conventional transformer in AC technique (Fig.2.).
Fig.2. Implementing of a common inverter.
Here the high modules DC voltage is introduced to the
input of an electronically chopped push-pull transformer
TR with secondary winding equipped with full-wave
rectifier. The primary to secondary windings ratio, here as
an example 60V/12V, defines the transformers DC output
voltage as approximately 12V i.e. convenient for 12V
battery charging purposes from the point of view of
efficiency.
This second matching solution, though much better than
the first one has several faults, such as complicated and
expensive DC/DC inverter of fixed voltage ratio, poor
parameter flexibility, elevated losses in chopper and
rectifying circuits and others.
The mentioned idea of using an inverter leads straight to
utilize the third way of matching the PV installations
voltages by means of a very simple pulsed inverter, but
featuring extraordinary parameters, valuable for the entire
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circuitry of the installation. This inverter type, called the
step-down version (Fig.3.) is destined for transforming
high input DC voltages into lower output DC voltage with
power efficiency reaching the order of 90%.
Fig.3. Implementing of a step-down inverter
This means that the output DC power is almost equal
the input one, while the output voltage and current are the
function of a special parameter called inverters ratio. The
extraordinary importance of this parameter depends on a
certain auxiliary voltage, by means of which this ratio can
be continuously and fluently controlled from zero to 100%
value. Such a possibility in AC technique offers only a
regulated autotransformer on a difficult purely mechanical
way. The very wide range of a step-down inverters ratio
controlling permits an easy and immediate matching of the
module and load even during fast changes of their
parameters, caused by variable circumstances.
In practice the key K becomes alternately closed and
opened with a certain frequency of several hundred or
thousands of Hz. As the K element usually MOS-FET
transistors are used. When the key is closed the modules
current can flow through the inductor L to the capacitor C
and the load. When the key opens the L current continues
to flow supplied by the capacitors charge. This charge
depends upon the duty cycle of the key. If the key is
continuously closed the capacitor charges to the full
modules voltage and if becomes continuously open the
capacitor gains no charge. The output voltage and current
are given approximately by:
VOUT = D VIN (1)
I IN
I OUT = (2)
D
where D is the duty cycle of the key i.e. MOS-FET. The
D value is contained within limits 0 and 1 and in the
presented case reaches approximately 0,2 for 5:1 ratio.
The application of the described step-down inverter
permits to obtain conditions of optimal power transfer at
considerable predominance (5:1) of modules voltage over
that of the battery. A permanent state of keeping such an
optimal transfer in continuously varying terms is possible
only, when is controlled by an intelligent electronic circuit,
like a properly programmed microprocessor. Such a
process is known under the name of Maximum Power
Point Tracking (MPPT) and is introduced in most modern
PV installations. As the described controller needs the
supervision of plenty of other parameters, not mentioned
here for simplicity reasons, such as several voltage and
current values in neural circuitry points, the influence of
temperature, forms of protection and others only the
abundant microprocessors control abilities permit to
realize such a number of tasks.
THE PROPOSED CHARGE CONTROLLER MODEL
As the basic module the thin film FS50 type of 50W
nominal power and 86V VOC was employed. The reported
VOC TK was -0,29%/OC. The modules practical behaviour
seemed to be interesting, so its VOC was submitted long
term open air tests within 6 months, from summer to
winter, while measurements were memorized. The
obtained graph (Fig.4.) performs the VOC=f(Tmod) collective
function.
Fig.4. VOC=f(Tmod) dependence of a CdTe module
The selected circuit solutions elements and details
made possible to elaborate the final shape of the
controllers circuitry (Fig.5.).
Fig.5. The proposed 60/12V charge controller electronic
circuit
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It consists of a basic step-down inverter with pulsed
power MOS-FET transistor at the input, eventually
protected by a 100V VDR. The battery and the load are
connected via similar transistors, acting as controllers or
switches of both currents.
All the three power FETs are driven in a powerless
manner by proper microprocessors outputs. The
microprocessor is powered by a separate 5V source,
alimented from the main output and is equipped with an
LCD display, presenting actual data, gathered from vital
installations points. The associated keyboard permits to
choose the desired parameters of the controller and to
develop expected functions and inscriptions.
The seeming simplicity of the circuit is compensated by
extreme complexity of the microprocessors programme.
The main task of this latter is to meet the requirements of
the MPPT process, creating a logical and mathematical
sequence of operations, called algorithm. There are more
than ten ways of realizing such a process, each forming
another algorithm type of specialized name. Here the most
popular and universal one, called Perturb-and-Observe,
has been implemented. Its main idea bases on the
mentioned sequence of operations, realized one by one
under supervision of the effects developed by them. The
choice of only right decisions of the algorithm leads to a
final expected positive effect, which in the presented case
is keeping the modules power and the consumed one
always automatically matched on an optimal level of full
energetic efficiency.
Fig.6. presents the elaborated P&O algorithm, adapted
for 12Hz operation repetition rate, what permits to
supervise the complex MPPT process even in conditions
of fast insolation variations as well as of quick changes of
the load.
PRACTICAL RESULTS
The controllers putting in motion works dealt with the
main inductors improvements and some algorithms
corrections. As the DC/DC conversion efficiency strongly
depends on losses in the inductor and in two capacitors of
vital role these elements had to be carefully checked
and selected. Especially magnetic properties of the
inductors core had to be solicitously assorted.
The final tests included efficiency measurements,
realized by means of precise controllers input- and output
power ratio checks in wide range of input voltages and
output currents. As the result the total power efficiency
reached 86% at nominal 60V 50W input conditions and
appeared to be reduced to 74% at 45V input voltage. The
recommended 12V/45Ah battery was supplied by
precisely stabilized voltages of two working levels 13,7
O
and 14,4 at 25 C in the entire voltage range, while the
output battery protective cut-off and restore voltages also
remained stable on the 11,1V and 12,6V levels
respectively.
 Fig.6. MPPT search algorithm
CONCLUSION
The applied designing and reasoning method appeared [5]
to be quite satisfactory and successful in creating a new
high voltage controller model, not based on any ready
example. Such or similar solution may find many new
customers in situation of growing offer of modern high
voltage modules, as well as of absence of suitable [6]
controllers on the market.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Data for First Solar CdTe module were acquired in [7]
outdoor Monitoring System in SolarLab of Wroclaw
Univeristy of Technology.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[8]
[1] R.Messenger, J.Ventre : Photovoltaic Systems
Engineering Second Edition, CRC Press, 2003
[2] Report IEA PVPS T3-05:1998: Recommended
Practices for Charge Controllers; August, 1998
[3] D.P.Hohm, M.E.Ropp : Comparative Study of
Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithms; Prog.
Photovolt: Res. Appl. 2003; 11:47-62
[4] W.Grzesiak, M.Ciez, T.Maj, W.Zaraska, K.Wietrzny:
Solar Regulators Equipped With One-Chip
Microcomputer, 19th European Photovoltaic Solar
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W.Grzesiak, M.Ciez, T.Maj, J.Poczatek, K.Wietrzny:
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Charge Controllers, Proc.of the 28th Int.Conference
and Exhibition IMAPS - Poland 2004, Wrocaw,
Poland, 09.2004, p.245-248
W.Grzesiak, Comparative Study of Charge
Regulators Features During Long-Term Exploitation
Tests, 20th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy
Conference and Exhibition, Barcelona, Spain,
06.2005
W.Grzesiak, M.Ciez, T.Maj, J.Chojnacki, J.Teneta,
Data Acquisition System for Long-Term
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29 Int.Conference and Exhibition IMAPS - Poland
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