Modeling and simulation of photovoltaic module for space applications using Simulink/MATLAB

This paper presents an enhanced model of photovoltaic (PV) module for space application. The model is represented by two diodes equivalent circuit for each single junction and implemented in Simulink/MATLAB. It is validated using real requirements of space mission with real space PV cell characteristics. The fundamental equations of the PV cell are utilized with the influences of space radiation and the variation of the operating temperature. The P-V and I-V characteristics as a function of space radiation and the operating temperature are presented. The comparison of the modeling results with the published data from the manufacturer shows a satisfactory accuracy with max error 5.9 % for the whole voltage range. The model is used to implement a complete space photovoltaic system for space applications. Finally, the model is used to compare the performance of single crystal Si module and multi-junction module using a real mission requirement of a satellite platform.