A Comprehensive Study of Partial Shading Effect on the Performance of PV array with Different Configuration

Depending on the shading pattern, irradiance, temperature and other environmental condition, the power of the Photo Voltaic (PV) array varies accordingly. The resulting effect of different shading pattern on PV array is generally termed as Partial Shading. However, different configuration of the solar modules creates different V-I characteristics. Several such configurations are; 1) Series (S), 2) Series-Parallel (S-P), 3) Honey-Comb (H-C), 4) Total-Cross-Tied (TCT) and 5) Bridge-Linked (BL). According to the spatial shading patterns on the PV panel also the solar power curve changes and hence various patterns as short narrow, short wide, long and narrow are investigated in the present paper. Parameters such as Maximum Power (P
_MP
), Open Circuit Voltage (V
_OC
), Short Circuit Current (I
_SC
), Maximum Power Point Voltage (V
_MPP
), MPP Current (I
_MPP
), Change in Power Loss (Δ
_PL
) and Fill Factor (FF) of various configurations are analyzed and implemented using MATLAB software. Simulation design and implementation for 16 solar panels of Kyocera solar KD325GX-LPB modules are used to validate the obtained results.