Simulation and Comparison of Mathematical Models of PV Cells with Growing Levels of Complexity

Abstract

The amount of energy generated from a photovoltaic installation depends mainly on two factors—the temperature and solar irradiance. Numerous maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques have been developed for photovoltaic systems. The challenge is what method to employ in order to obtain optimum operating points (voltage and current) automatically at the maximum photovoltaic output power in most conditions. This paper is focused on the structural analysis of mathematical models of PV cells with growing levels of complexity. The main objective is to simulate and compare the characteristic current-voltage (I-V) and power-voltage (P-V) curves of equivalent circuits of the ideal PV cell model and, with one and with two diodes, that is, equivalent circuits with five and seven parameters. The contribution of each parameter is analyzed in the particular context of a given model and then generalized through comparison to a more complex model. In this study the numerical simulation of the models is used intensively and extensively. The approach utilized to model the equivalent circuits permits an adequate simulation of the photovoltaic array systems by considering the compromise between the complexity and accuracy. By utilizing the Newton–Raphson method the studied models are then employed through the use of Matlab/Simulink. Finally, this study concludes with an analysis and comparison of the evolution of maximum power observed in the models.

Monitoring of Defects of a Photovoltaic Power Plant Using a Drone

“…Our results are in agreement with the results presented in the previous work [25]. Sometimes, there are troubles with connection of the renewable energy power sources to the public grid, see reference [26].…”

Uncertainty-Based Models for Optimal Management of Energy Hubs Considering Demand Response

“…The Information Gap Decision Theory (IGDT) method has been used frequently in the robust optimization of power systems. For example, in References [30][31][32][33][34][35], a bidding/offering strategy is presented for purchasing and selling power to manage the electricity price forecasting errors using IGDT. The bidding/offering strategy is also studied in smart grids in Reference [36].…”

Analysis of Nonlinear Dynamics of a Quadratic Boost Converter Used for Maximum Power Point Tracking in a Grid-Interlinked PV System

“…The PV generators have a nonlinear characteristic changing with the temperature Θ and irradiation S. Their i − v characteristic equation can be found in many references in the literature. A comparison between the different models are presented in [30]. The single diode model, shown in Figure 3, is one of the most widely used since it has a good compromise between simplicity and accuracy.…”