DPP Converter Using LLC Resonant Voltage Multiplier with a Voltage Divider for Curved Solar Roof of PREVs

The mismatch in electrical characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) modules/substrings is well known for triggering various negative influences, such as reduction in power generation and occurrence of multiple maximum power points (MPPs). Various kinds of differential power processing (DPP) converters have been proposed to solve the issues. In recent years, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PREVs) equipped with a socalled solar roof (a PV panel on PREVs' roofs) have been developed and commercialized, but uneven solar radiation due to the curved surface results in mismatched characteristics. In this paper, a DPP converter based on an LLC resonant voltage multiplier with a voltage divider is proposed for PREVs' solar roofs consisting of seven substrings. Experiments emulating mismatched conditions were performed, and the results demonstrated that the proposed DPP converter could enhance the energy yield of mismatched substrings of solar roofs.