Estimating the potential maximum power point based on the calculation of short‐circuit current and open‐circuit voltage

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a technique to quickly determine the potential maximum power point (MPP) of a photovoltaic system using the duty cycle (D) of the DC/DC converter. The proposed method depends on estimating the open‐circuit voltage (Voc) and short‐circuit current (Isc) values under different operating conditions. It is an adapted version derived from the conventional Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm, designed to restrict the search area for the MPP. The working conditions, including temperature variations, irradiance, or both, are simulated in the PSIM environment and experimented with a simulator with parameters satisfied according to the proposed operating conditions. The research objective of this study also involves operating under partially shaded conditions. When comparing the results of this research with those obtained from the traditional P&O method and the Variable Step Size Perturb and Observe (VSSP&O) approach, it becomes evident that the proposed solution excels in terms of both convergence speed and performance, particularly when operating under partial shade conditions. In addition, this study's methods of determining Isc, Voc, and Dmp can be widely applied in low‐voltage and power systems.

Keywords

• DC–DC power convertors
• perturbation theory
• photovoltaic cells
• photovoltaic power systems
• solar cells