A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels
Aging affects different photovoltaic (PV) modules in a PV array in a non-uniform way, thereby leading to non-uniform working conditions of the PV modules and resulting in variations in the power outputs of the PV array. In this paper, an algorithm is developed for optimising the electrical configura...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2743 |
| _version_ | 1828150142081957888 |
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| author | Peter Udenze Yihua Hu Huiqing Wen Xianming Ye Kai Ni |
| author_facet | Peter Udenze Yihua Hu Huiqing Wen Xianming Ye Kai Ni |
| author_sort | Peter Udenze |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aging affects different photovoltaic (PV) modules in a PV array in a non-uniform way, thereby leading to non-uniform working conditions of the PV modules and resulting in variations in the power outputs of the PV array. In this paper, an algorithm is developed for optimising the electrical configuration of a PV array during the non-uniform aging processes amongst the PV modules. A new PV array reconfiguration method is proposed to maximize the power generation from non-uniformly aged PV arrays through rearrangements of the positions of the PV modules without having to replace the aged PV modules with new ones, thereby saving on maintenance costs. This reconfiguration strategy requires information about the electrical parameters of the PV modules in an array, so as to choose the optimal reconfiguration topology. In this algorithm, the PV modules are sorted iteratively in a hierarchy pattern to reduce the effect of mismatch due to the non-uniform aging processes amongst PV modules. Computer simulation and analysis have been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method for different sizes of non-uniform aged PV arrays (4 × 4, 10 × 10, and 100 × 10 arrays) with MATLAB. The results show an improvement in the power generation from a non-uniformly aged PV array and can be applied to any size of PV array. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:40:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c7c21242c5d460c891505e904f13e97 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:40:06Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c7c21242c5d460c891505e904f13e972022-12-22T04:01:37ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732018-10-011110274310.3390/en11102743en11102743A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar PanelsPeter Udenze0Yihua Hu1Huiqing Wen2Xianming Ye3Kai Ni4Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Agriculture, Makurdi P.M.B. 2373, NigeriaElectrical Engineering and Electronics Department, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UKDepartment of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South AfricaElectrical Engineering and Electronics Department, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UKAging affects different photovoltaic (PV) modules in a PV array in a non-uniform way, thereby leading to non-uniform working conditions of the PV modules and resulting in variations in the power outputs of the PV array. In this paper, an algorithm is developed for optimising the electrical configuration of a PV array during the non-uniform aging processes amongst the PV modules. A new PV array reconfiguration method is proposed to maximize the power generation from non-uniformly aged PV arrays through rearrangements of the positions of the PV modules without having to replace the aged PV modules with new ones, thereby saving on maintenance costs. This reconfiguration strategy requires information about the electrical parameters of the PV modules in an array, so as to choose the optimal reconfiguration topology. In this algorithm, the PV modules are sorted iteratively in a hierarchy pattern to reduce the effect of mismatch due to the non-uniform aging processes amongst PV modules. Computer simulation and analysis have been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method for different sizes of non-uniform aged PV arrays (4 × 4, 10 × 10, and 100 × 10 arrays) with MATLAB. The results show an improvement in the power generation from a non-uniformly aged PV array and can be applied to any size of PV array.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2743solar PVMPPTnon-uniform agingrearrangement |
| spellingShingle | Peter Udenze Yihua Hu Huiqing Wen Xianming Ye Kai Ni A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels Energies solar PV MPPT non-uniform aging rearrangement |
| title | A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels |
| title_full | A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels |
| title_fullStr | A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels |
| title_short | A Reconfiguration Method for Extracting Maximum Power from Non-Uniform Aging Solar Panels |
| title_sort | reconfiguration method for extracting maximum power from non uniform aging solar panels |
| topic | solar PV MPPT non-uniform aging rearrangement |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2743 |
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