Dynamic maximum power point tracker for photovoltaic applications

A dynamic process for reaching the maximum power point of a variable power source such as a solar cell is introduced. The process tracks maximum power nearly cycle-by-cycle during transients. Information from the natural switching ripple instead of external perturbation is used to support the maximizing process. The method is globally stable for DC-DC power converters, provided that a switching action is present. A prototype boost power converter that uses this method for control can follow power transients on time scales of a few milliseconds. This performance can be achieved with a simple analog control structure, which supports power processing with minimum loss.