Experimental results of controlled PV module for building integrated PV systems

On the necessity of joint adoption of both Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking and Central Maximum Power Point Tracking in PV systems

“…In the case of an ideal lossless buck converter made with devices characterized by unlimited voltage and current ratings, the I–V characteristic of the SCPVM is a hyperbole of equation V out * I out = P MPP if V out ≤ V MPP; instead, if V out > V MPP , then the I–V characteristic of the SCPVM is coincident with that one of the associated PV module in the considered atmospheric conditions . In Figure , the I–V characteristic of an SW225 PV module, at S = 1000 W/m 2 and T ambient = 25 °C, is reported together with the corresponding I–V characteristic of the associated buck based SCPVM.…”

“…In Figure 8, the I-V characteristic of an SW225 PV module, at S = 1000 W/m 2 and T ambient = 25 C, is reported together with the corresponding I-V characteristic of the associated buck based SCPVM. If finite voltage and current ratings are taken into account, the I-V characteristic of the buck based SCPVM is modified as shown in Figure 9 (V ds max = 70 V, I ds max = 16 A) [14,19]. To obtain the equivalent I-V characteristic of N SCPVMs connected in series, for each value of the current, the corresponding value of the voltage can be evaluated by summing the N voltages obtained by the N I-V characteristics of the SCPVMs in correspondence of the considered value of the current.…”

“…Moreover, even when CMPPT is able to track the absolute maximum power of the mismatched PV field, such a power is lower than the sum of the available maximum powers of the mismatched modules. Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (DMPPT) allows to overcome the drawbacks associated to mismatching phenomena [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. DMPPT is based on the use of module dedicated DC/DC converters realizing the MPPT for each module (Figure 2) and central inverters [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24].…”

“…Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (DMPPT) allows to overcome the drawbacks associated to mismatching phenomena [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. DMPPT is based on the use of module dedicated DC/DC converters realizing the MPPT for each module (Figure 2) and central inverters [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. A not exhaustive list of commercial devices developed with reference to the architecture shown in Figure 2 includes the following: SolarMagic Power Optimizers by National Semiconductors (four switches buck-boost topology) [25], SolarEdge Power Box (buckboost topology) [26], Tigo Energy Module Maximizers (MM-ES50, MM-ES75, MM-ES110, MM-ES170, buck topology) [27], Xandex SunMizers (buck topology, recently the production has been discontinued) [28], SPV1020 produced by STMicroelectronics (boost topology) [29].…”

Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking: Challenges and Commercial Solutions

“…In the case of an ideal lossless boost converter made with devices characterized by unlimited voltage and current ratings, if V ≥ V MPP than the I-V characteristic of the SCPVM is an hyperbole of equation V · I = P MPP , where V is the output voltage, I is the output current of the SCPVM and P MPP is the maximum power which can be provided by the adopted PV module in the considered atmospheric conditions [20] [25]. Instead, if V ≤ V MPP then I-V characteristic of the SCPVM is coincident with that one of the adopted PV module in the considered atmospheric conditions [20] [25]. If the boost converter is lossless but is characterized by a finite value of V ds max , the I-V characteristic of the SCPVM is truncated at V ds max .…”