Comprehensive Analysis and Design of Electrical Power Systems for Nanosatellite Platforms: A Focus on Robust MPPT Control Using Sliding Mode Control Method

Abstract

This paper is aimed at performing a comprehensive review of the approaches employed in nanosatellite platforms, specifically 1 U and 3 U, for electrical power systems (EPS). Moreover, it seeks to develop a robust maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller using the sliding mode control (SMC) method. The proposed control strategy is intended to monitor the solar panel’s maximum power point (MPP) and adapt to changes in temperatures and solar irradiance in low Earth orbit (LEO). The EPS model, designed with the proposed sizing method, is built in MATLAB-Simulink and integrates a solar panel, battery storage, and power converters controlled by diverse MPPT methods. Then, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SMC approach compared to other conventional control methods for the designed EPS under varying LEO conditions. To achieve a robust validation of the most appropriate MPPT control method under steady-state conditions, this paper presents an experimental investigation into the proposed EPS hardware design. The proposed SMC method achieved an increase in power generation from 10% to 12% for buck and boost power converters, respectively, compared to traditional control methods.