MATLAB-based modeling of shading effects in photovoltaic arrays

This paper presents a MATLAB-based modeling and simulation scheme suitable for studying the I-V and P-V characteristics of a PV under a nonuniform insolation due to partial shading. In the first, part a solar cell block is available in MATLAB®/Similink, which was used with many other blocks to plot I-V and P-V characteristics under variations of parameters considering one parameter variation at a time. The effect of variation of parameters such as series resistance, Rs, shunt resistance Rsh, diode parameter: diode saturation current, I0, could be seen on the characteristics of a solar cell. Effect of two environmental parameters of temperature and irradiance variations could also be observed from simulated characteristics. In the second part, the performance of a photovoltaic (PV) array is affected by temperature, solar insolation, shading. Often, the PV arrays get shadowed, completely or partially, by the passing clouds neighboring buildings, towers or by trees, etc. The situation is of a particular interest in a case of the large PV power plants. In the case of the shading the characteristics of the PV module are more complex with the several peak values. Under such conditions, it is very difficult to determine the maximum power point (MPP). Finally, MATLAB-programmed modeling and simulation of photovoltaic systems is presented here, by focusing on the effects of partial shading on the output of the photovoltaic (PV) systems. The proposed model facilitates simulating the dynamic performances of PV-based power systems and also has been validated by means of simulation study.

[1]  J. L. Prince,et al.  Second quadrant effects in silicon solar cells , 1980 .

[2]  V. Agarwal,et al.  MATLAB-Based Modeling to Study the Effects of Partial Shading on PV Array Characteristics , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion.

[3]  Kostas Kalaitzakis,et al.  Development of a microcontroller-based, photovoltaic maximum power point tracking control system , 2001 .

[4]  R. Hanitsch,et al.  NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATORS WITH SHADED CELLS , 1995 .

[5]  J. W. Bishop.  Computer simulation of the effects of electrical mismatches in photovoltaic cell interconnection circuits , 1988 .

[6]  Geoffrey R. Walker,et al.  Evaluating MPPT Converter Topologies Using a Matlab PV Model , 2000 .

[7]  Aissa Chouder,et al.  Study of bypass diodes configuration on PV modules , 2009 .

[8]  L. Bun,et al.  Détection et localisation de défauts pour un système PV , 2011 .

[9]  Damien Picault.  REDUCTION OF MISMATCH LOSSES IN GRID-CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS USING ALTERNATIVE TOPOLOGIES , 2010 .

[10]  Tsutomu Hoshino,et al.  Maximum photovoltaic power tracking: an algorithm for rapidly changing atmospheric conditions , 1995 .

[11]  V. Agarwal,et al.  A new algorithm for rapid tracking of approximate maximum power point in photovoltaic systems , 2004, IEEE Power Electronics Letters.

[12]  S. Pace,et al.  Hot spots in Solar Cells. Test Procedures and Study of Related Phenomena , 1987 .

[13]  Akio Takeoka,et al.  Advanced photovoltaic technologies and residential applications , 1995 .

[14]  D. Biel,et al.  A sliding mode approach to robust generation on DC-to-DC nonlinear converters , 1996, Proceedings. 1996 IEEE International Workshop on Variable Structure Systems. - VSS'96 -.

[15]  J. M. Ruíz,et al.  Analysis and modelling the reverse characteristic of photovoltaic cells , 2006 .

[16]  Robert L. Steigerwald,et al.  Microcomputer Control of a Residential Photovoltaic Power Conditioning System , 1985, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

[17]  Toshihisa Shimizu,et al.  Generation control circuit for photovoltaic modules , 2001 .