A comparative study of maximum-power-point trackers for photovoltaic panels using switching-frequency modulation scheme

A comparative study of the maximum power point trackers using a switching-frequency modulation scheme (SFMS) for photovoltaic panels is presented. Some commonly used dc/dc converters, which are applied for the power conversion stage of those trackers, will be examined. Method of locating the maximum power point (MPP) is based on injecting a small-signal sinusoidal perturbation into the switching frequency of the converter and comparing the ac component and the average value of the panel's terminal voltage. Apart from not requiring sophisticated computation of the panel power, this SFMS does not approximate the panel characteristics and can globally locate the MPP under wide insolation conditions. Tracking capability of the converters under investigation will be compared, using a 10-W solar panel with a controlled experimental setup. Theoretical predictions will be verified with experimental results. Operating characteristics at steady state and in large-signal change of the insolation (incident solar radiation) level will be studied.