Algorithms for Maximum Power Point Tracking through Load Management

This paper presents the basic control algorithm and its improvements for a feedback-based load-matching PV system. Our previous load-matching system employed a photodetector for system control. Several practical challenges for the photodetector-based load-matching system have been identified. The feedback-based system eliminates those challenges and makes the system practical. The methods for improving the basic algorithm include monitoring PV power over time, a time delay between two power measurements, averaging multiple power measurements, and a power threshold before attempting a switch. They are implemented in SIMULINK for a system with six equal-resistance loads on both sunny and cloudy days and the optimal values for these parameters are identified. The algorithm with optimized parameters is verified in a real system on both sunny and cloudy days. These results prove the viability of maximum power point tracking through load management.