Solar PV array-based DC-DC converter with MPPT for low power applications

This article discusses a DC-DC converter based solar fed PV array system for low power applications. A single diode based solar panel is designed and modelled for this PV array system. At low value of irradiance in solar panel, the system will perform with better accuracy. To acquire better efficiency, the similar system is operated with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control algorithm. The solar panel current v/s Voltage (I-V) and Power v/s Voltage (P-V) characteristics curves are obtained from Matlab simulation. The comparison of simulation curves is also done with the curves obtained from the experiment results. The detailed investigation of DC-DC converters with solar fed system with soft-switching technique is also performed. This soft-switching technique is formed by using the resonant inductors and capacitors. These passive components reduce the circuit switching losses. The Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS) technique is used to eliminate the switching losses developed in the circuit at the time of switching transitions. This technique also reduces the dv/dt noise owing to junction capacity discharge. This Proposed ZETA and SEPIC converters based system are modelled and simulated in MATLAB program and its performance is evaluated through experimentation in the terms of losses and efficiency. From the performance study of ZVS ZETA and SEPIC converter, increment in efficiency are obtained 1.97% and 7.23% under Perturb and Observe MPPT control and 4.14% and 0.41% in Incremental Conductance MPPT control respectively as compared to its conventional ZETA and SEPIC converter.