Optimal Control of Induction Motor for Photovoltaic Water Pumping System

This paper aims to improve the induction motor (IM) performance for photovoltaic (PV) water pumping systems (PVWPS) without battery storage. The proposed technique is designed by direct torque control based on fuzzy logic controller (FLC). The purpose is to ensure optimal control of flux reference to reduce motor losses and hence, the efficiency of the PVWPS is improved. The maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is achieved using a variable step size Perturb and Observe (VSS P&O) algorithm. The PV system incorporating the proposed technique is tested and compared with the control scheme based on constant flux reference under a real annual data of atmospheric conditions of the target site. The simulation results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy in terms of the reduction in stator current, optimizing flux, electrical speed and pumped water.