Effect of Partial Shading on a PV Array and Its Maximum Power Point Tracking Using Particle Swarm Optimization

Abstract

The maximum power point (MPP) of a Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) array varies with temperature and irradiation. Shadow of various objects falling on a certain portion of the SPV array causes partial shading condition (PSC) which results in the formation of hot spot. Thus, reducing the power (output) by 33% on a single cell in addition to the occurrence of various peaks on a P-V curve. To detect global maxima among the multiple peaks is a challenge for researchers. Hence, different Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) techniques are used to overcome this challenge. In this paper, the impact of partial shading on SPV array has been analysed and the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based MPPT technique is used to obtain global maxima under partial shading conditions. The MPPT controller is incorporated with a converter (boost) to vary the input voltage as per the duty cycle of the switch generated by PSO algorithm-based controller.