Advanced Perturbation and Observation (P&O) based

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) of a Solar

Photo-Voltaic System

D. K. Sharma G. Purohit
Department of Electronics and Comm. Engineering, Department of Physics,
Sir Padampat Singhania University, Sir Padampat Singhania University,
Bhatewar, Udaipur - 313 601, India Bhatewar, Udaipur - 313 601, India
e-mail: dinesh.sharma@spsu.ac.in e-mail ghanshyam.purohit@spsu.ac.in

Abstract- In this paper, a novel algorithm based MPPT has been

using a power electronic switch operated by an algorithm. The
suggested for extracting maximum possible power from PV module. design of MPPT may be based upon Buck converter, Boost con­
The proposed algorithm for controlling the MPPT is based upon verter [4], Buck-boost converter etc. Due to the more flexibility
the mostly used Perturb and Observe (P&O) method. A long with and better performance, the boost converter has been used in this
the proposed algorithm, different existing algorithms have been paper. In the case of buck converter the current is not constantly
compared in terms of their tracking speed and implementation flowing but in the case of boost converter, the constant flow of
complexity. The solar module characteristics (I-V and P-V) have current may be achieved. This is one more advantage of boost
been simulated in MATLAB. The simulation results for various converter over buck converter. Many types of algorithms are
parameters of boost converter have also been obtained. In this available to control the operation of switch of boost converter
paper, we discuss the results of our study of an improved maximum like Perturb & Observe (P&O) algorithm [5], [6], Incremental
power point tracker (MPPT) of a PV system. The proposed MPPT Conductance (INC) algorithm [7], Parasitic Capacitance method
algorithm is based on the incremental perturbation and
[8] etc.
observation (IP&O) strategy in which the perturbation steps have
been increased to get closer to the maximum power point with II. SOLAR Pv SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
minimum possible oscillations. The PV power system, using the
proposed MPPT, will be able to optimally track maximum power
A. PV System With MPPT
points with minimum possible oscillation around maximum power
points (MPPs). Consequently the light to electricity conversion
efficiency can be improved significantly.
A typical Photovoltaic (PV) system consists of a PV module
and some electrical load. This may also have a Power condition­
Keywords- Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) system; Maximum Power ing unit (PCU) which may comprising of a Inverter (to convert dc
Point Tracker (MPPT); Boost converter; P&O algorithm; MOSFET; into ac), charge controller (to prevent reverse flow of current dur­
Tracking efficiency. ing dark) and most importantly from the efficiency point of view
the Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT).In this paper, the
I. INTRODUCTION MPPT is emphasized for better efficiency of PV system by using
improved MPPT with advanced P&O algorithm.
Utilization of renewable energy resources is the demand of
today and the necessity of tomorrow. Due to the electric power
Load or
crisis globally, it is to be thought about the optimized utilization c- ---> DC-DC
PVarray other
of these resources. In this paper, the efficient extraction of elec­ �- converter
devices
trical energy from Solar Photovoltaics (SPV) [1] system is being
presented. The efficiency of the SPY system may be substantial­ ::E
ly increased by using Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) 3:
p.
[2].MPPT is a power electronic system which tracks the maxi­
MPPT
mum power point on the characteristic curve of PV module �
Vpv controller
throughout the day in varying solar insolation. Basically MPPT --'---:J
algorithm
is a highly efficient DC-DC converter [3] which is controlled by

Fig. 1. Block diagram of PV system with MPPT

The financial support has been provided by Sir Padampat Singhania University,
Udaipur (Rajasthan), INDIA

978-1-4673-0934-9/12/$3l.00 ©2012 IEEE

Basically the main problem in tracking the maximwn power sen due to its better performance and also simplicity in simula­
points (MPPs) using the Perturb and Observe (P&O) method on tion. The boost converter provides the higher output than input
the characteristic curves solar PV module or cell is that the oper­ as per the following formula:
ating point fluctuates around the MPP as solar insolation varies. Vout= Vinll-D
By using the advanced Perturb and Observe (adv. P&O), the Where D is the duty cycle of the boost converter. This duty
oscillations of operating point around MPP have been reduced as cycle (D) is being controlled by PWM output of the proposed
the perturbation steps have been increased and operating point algorithm.
gets stabilized and as a result of the efficiency is enhanced by The duty cycle of the boost converter is controlled in accor­
using proposed algorithm. dance with the varying solar insolation by using a controller
B. Simulated PV Characteristic Curves
algorithm. In this paper the advanced P&O method is being used
to accurately track the MPP with minimum possible oscillations
of operating point around maximum power point (MPP). The
The characteristic curves may be represented as Current­
PWM output of the proposed algorithm is found to be able to
voltage (I-V) curve and Power-voltage (P-V) curve which are
track the MPP with higher stability of operating point and hence
nonlinear in nature and shown as in figure
higher efficiency of the PV system.
An ideal boost converter is lossless in terms of energy, so
the input and output power are equal. In practice, there will be
<.5
losses in the switch and passive elements, but efficiencies better
" than 90% are still possible through careful selection of system
components and operating parameters such as the switch fre­
quency.
"
IV. MpPT ALGORITHMS

There are many MPPT algorithm which can be used for im­
plementation viz. Incremental conductance method, constant
voltage method, Fuzzy logic based method etc. Different MPPT
algorithms [8], [II], [12] are briefed about their features and
OJ

limitations as follows
1) Incremental conductance (INC) method [8], [11] of
tracking the MPP does not depend upon PV array, tracking effi­
ciency is good, and implementation is medium. Sensing parame­
ters are voltage and current, convergence speed is medium and
of analog type.
"

0
2) Fuzzy logic control based MPPT [8], [11] is PV array
2 • 6 8 10 12 u 16 Ie
0
VM dependent, Tracking efficiency is good, implementation is very
complex, convergence speed is fast and of digital type.
Fig. 2. P-V Characteristics of Solar Cell
3) Neural network based MPPT [11] is also PV array de­
pendent, tracking efficiency is good, implementation is very
The characteristic curves of PV module have been simulated in complex, convergence speed is fast and of digital type.
MATLAB and MPP is also indicated on these curves. 4) Linear current control based MPPT [9], [12] is PV ar­
ray dependent, tracking efficiency is not so good, implementa­
III. BOOST CONVERTER tion complexity is medium, convergence speed is fast, sensing
parameter is irradiance and of digital type.
In the proposed design of MPPT, a boost converter is cho-
5) Temperature based MPPT [11] depends upon PV array,
tracking efficiency is excellent, implementation is simple and
"I MPP is comparatively accurate and sensing parameters are vol­

I t
+
V ",,1-
v.
.n
_ --·
1 -D
tage and temperature.
6) Array reconfiguration based MPPT [11] is PV array

Fig. 3. Boost converter circuit

T dependent, tracking efficiency is poor, convergence speed is
slow, implementation complexity is high, sensing parameters are
voltage and current and of digital type.
 7) Perturb and observe based MPPT [8], [9], [11] is not The main drawback of P&O algorithm is that the operating
PV array dependent, tracking efficiency is good but with unsta­ point of PV panel oscillates around maximum power point
ble operating points, implementation is simple, sensing parame­ (MPP) i.e. unstable MPP. To minimize the oscillations of the
ters are voltage and current. operating point or to enhance the stability, it is required to in­
crease the tracking speed of the MPPT by using more improved
8) Advanced Perturb and Observe based MPPT is not PV algorithm. Due to the unstable maximum power point (MPP)
array dependent, tracking efficiency is very good with stable and thereby higher oscillations of operating point around MPP.
MPPs, implementation is medium, sensing parameters are vol­ Consequently the power is wasted before reaching to the MPP.
tage and current. Therefore the efficiency of the solar module for generating pow­
er gets reduced and therefore using the advanced P&O algorithm
Out of many MPPT algorithms, Perturb and observe (P&O) is used by introducing the more number of perturbation and ob­
algorithm [10] is mostly used for increasing the efficiency of PV servation steps to reach to MPP without wasting power in oscil­
system due to its simpler implementation, high reliability and lation of operating point around MPP.
better efficiency.
VI. ADVANCED p&O ALGORITHM
V. P&O ALGORITHM
In this section, an advanced and even more improved ver­
The P&O algorithm is a cost effective and with less com­ sion of P&O algorithm is proposed. In this method, the number
plexity for MPPT control. In P&O method, the present value of of stages of perturb and observe (P&O) are increased by (k-l) to
the PV output power is calculated and compared with the past (k-2) & (k-3).By doing so, the tracking speed of the MPPT con­
value which gives the difference the power i.e. PPresent.PPast (L'lP). troller may be increased. Consequently the performance of the
If L'lP is greater than zero than the same operation continues for P&O algorithm may be improved in terms of better stability of
further perturbation otherwise it moves in the reverse direction. Maximum Power Point (MPP) and hence the higher efficiency
The flow chart shows the various steps of the P&O algorithm. of the Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) system used for electricity gen­
eration. Figure shows the flow chart for the presented algorithm.

Measure V(n),I(n)

Measure V(n),I(n)

P(n);V(n)OI(n)

P(n);V(n)OI(n)

V;V+{]V v;v-dv

°ig. 4. P&O Algorithm flowchart Fig. 5. Advanced P&O algorithm flowchart

 VII. SIMULATTION RESULTS 60
u1
48
36 u2
Following simulation results show the variation of the vari­ 24
ous voltages and currents of boost converter including wave­ 12 ����--���#-�
���-+
fonns for inductor current, capacitor current and gate pulses. o

The simulation has been carried out on Gecko-CIRCUITS pow­

er electronic simulation software.

C.1

+ �
L.1 iL
U.1 C= 10e-6 8
L= 300e-6
UOC�1 � D.1 7.8
2 2 7.6
IGBT ; [>1 �� 10 7.4

� . J� GATE.1 » 7.2

iC

� » IG8T.2
Uec = 1
f = 35e3

Fig. 6. Simulated Boost Converter Circuit

11 .16ge-3 11.206e-3 11.243e-3 11.27ge-3 11.31 6e-3

40 � Fig. 7. b) Simulation Results for Boost converter circuit (inset)

l! _.� :: VIII. CONCLUSION

_� - - _1_-
It can be concluded that the proposed advanced P&O algo­

r
u1 rithm based MPPT will be able to achieve the better efficiency
in comparison to the conventional P&O method. By using the
presented method, the tracking speed of the MPPT can be im­
J-----,F':- .-.-.-�.---.---.---.--.--<
proved as the oscillations of the operating point around the Max­
imum power point (MPP) can be minimized in steady state as
well as dynamic state. In turn, the amount of wasted power can
be minimized and hence the efficiency of the MPPT system em­
ployed in solar photovoltaic system can be optimized.

.--�.
o

5
�� �� Ie

[1]
REFERENCES

Xiao, W. , Dunford, W. G. , 2004. A modified adaptive hill climbing MPPT

o method for photovoltaic power systems. Proceedings of 351h Annual IEEE
--�--�!--- -�-- --�-
·5 Power Electronics. Specialists Conference, Aachen, Germany. pp. 1957-
1963.
[2] Koutroulis, E. , Kalaitzakis, K., Voulgaris, N.C., 2001. Development of a
microcontroller-based. Photovoltaic maximum power point tracking con­
trol system. IEEE Trans. Power Electron. 16, 46-54.
m 200e·6 400e-6 6 e-i6 800e-6 e·3
[3] Veerachary, M., Senjyu, T. , Uezato, K., 2001. Maximum power point
tracking control of IDB converter supplied PV system. lEE Proc. Electron.
Fig. 7. a) Simulation Results for Boost converter circuit Power Appl. 148, 494-502.
[4] Hua, C. , Lin, J. , 2003. An on-line MPPT algorithm for rapidly changing [9] Marcelo Gradella Villalva, Jonas Rafael Gazoli, Ernesto Ruppert Filho,
illuminations of solar arrays. Renew. Energy 28, 1129-1142. "Analysis and simulation of the P&O MPPT algorithm using a linearized
[5] Femia, N. , Petrone, G. , Spagnuolo, G., Vitelli, M., 2005. Optimization of PV array model", Industrial Electronics, 2009. IECON '09. 35th Annual
perturb and observe maximum power point tracking method. IEEE Trans. Conference of IEEE.
Power Electron. 20, 963-973. [10] Mohammed A. Elgendy, Bashar Zahawi, and David J. Atkinson, "Assess­
[6] A. Yafaoui., B. Wu and R. Cheung, "Implementation of maximum power ment of Perturb and Observe MPPT Algorithm Implementation Techniques
point tracking algorithm for residential photovoltaic systems", 2nd Cana­ for PV Pumping Applications" IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy,
dian Solar Buildings Conference Calgary, June 10 - 14, 2007. Vol. 3, no. 1, January 2012.
[7] B. Amrouche, M. Belhamel and A. Guessoum, " Artificial intelligence [II] Trishan Esram and Patrick L. Chapman, "Comparison of Photovoltaic
based P&O MPPT method for photovoltaic systems, Revue des Energies Array Maximum Power Point Tracking Techniques", IEEE Transactions
Renouvelables ICRESD-07 Tlemcen (2007) II - 16. on Energy Conversion, vol. 22, no.2,June,2007.
[8] D. P. Hohm and M. E. Ropp, "Comparative study of maximum power [12] Moacyr A. G. de Brito, Luigi G. Junior, Leonardo P. Sampaio, Guilherme
point tracking algorithms," Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl., vol. II, pp. 47-62, A. e Melo, Carlos A. Canesin, "Main Maximum Power Point Tracking
2003. (MPPT) strategies intended for Photovoltaics, IEEE Transaction on Energy
Conversion,Vol. 22,No. 2,June2007.