Design of a Maximum Power Point Tracker with Simulation, Analysis, and Comparison of Algorithms

Abstract

In this thesis, the advantages of three different maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm are investigated. By simulation, the performance and efficiency of these algorithms was analyzed. By using MATLAB's SimPowerSystems block set, we created the model comprised of a Kyocera KD135GX-LP solar panel powering a buck converter controlled by the MPPT algorithms driving a resistive load. The main objective was to track the maximum power point (MPP) of the solar array by modulating the buck converter's duty cycle, thereby, optimizing the power output of the panel. The three algorithms observed performance was on par with other real world tests of these algorithms as seen in other published work. The Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm performed with a higher overall efficiency and was able to track the MPP quickly, while the Incremental Conductance (InC) algorithm had similar performance but requires more intensive calculations. The analysis of these algorithms led to a greater understanding of where the inefficiencies of this type of system are located, allowing improvement in future work on this subject.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA576577

Entities

People

  • Jeff Wurz

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Battery Chargers
  • Communication Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Energy
  • Energy Storage
  • Power Converters
  • Power Supplies
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Energy
  • Solar Panels
  • Switched Mode Power Supplies
  • Thin Films
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Readers

  • Applied Combinatorial Optimization and Logic Circuit Design.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Electrical Engineering