PV Panel Performance Evaluation via Accurate V–I Polynomial With Efficient Computation

For photovoltaic (PV) systems, the perturb-and-observe (P&O) and incremental conductance are the popular peak power tracking (PPT) algorithms. However, their limitations for some PV operating conditions evolves the model based PPT (MBPPT) algorithms. The PV electrical circuit- and mathematical model-based algorithms have been intensively investigated. But, their lengthy computations and requirements of irradiance (
G
) and temperature (
T
) sensors increase the cost of on-line implementations. Here, the algorithm (simple and independent of
G
/
T
measurements) involves a measurement of three points on the current-voltage (
V–I
) curve, followed by direct peak power estimation using a simple explicit polynomial
V–I
model, which is named as a three-point model driven PPT (
3PMPPT
). A different power computation approach makes the PV system to deliver peak power in uniform and partial shading conditions (PSC). Through several numerical simulations in MATLAB/Simulink toolbox, the 3PMPPT algorithm is validated and compared with other algorithms. The results feature the improved tracking time and efficiency. An experimental prototype design also confirms the validity of the proposed algorithm. The 3PMPPT has superior performance than the P&O in full and half irradiance as well as in PSC.