PM-BLDC Motor Drive for Solar Water Pumping with Modified Boost Converter

Abstract

Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) systems are being used nowadays for a number of applications and one such application which is attracting attention is solar water pumping. Solar water pumping has become popular in rural areas for the purpose of farm irrigation, supplying drinking water to households, fish farms etc. A solar photovoltaic water pumping system with a modified boost DC-DC converter has been demonstrated here. The DC-DC converter serves as a link between the load and the PV array. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), which tracks maximum PV power, causes the SPV system to operate efficiently even in varying atmospheric conditions. In order to supply switching pulse for DC-DC converter, Perturb and Observe algorithm is used. The permanent magnet brushless DC motor drives the centrifugal pump linked to the shaft in the SPV water pumping system. PM-BLDC’s Electronic Commutation is implemented to provide switching pulses for the operation of the voltage source inverter (VSI). The modelling of BLDC motor drive for solar PV powered system for water pumping, is done in MATLAB/Simulink and has been examined under dynamic conditions.