Robust Digital Control Strategy Based on Fuzzy Logic for a Solar Charger of VRLA Batteries

Julio López Seguel and Seleme I. Seleme
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Julio López Seguel: Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Arturo Prat University, Iquique 1100000, Chile
Seleme I. Seleme: Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-27

Abstract: This paper presents the design and implementation of a digital control strategy for a Buck converter, used as a solar charger of valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries. The control system consists of two fuzzy logic controllers (FLCs), which adjust the appropriate increment of the converter duty cycle based on battery state of charge according to a three-stage charging scheme. One FLC works as a maximum power point tracker (FLC-MPPT), while the other regulates the battery voltage (FLC-VR). This approach of using two different set of membership functions overcomes the limitations of the battery chargers with a single control function, where the voltage supplied to the battery is either not constant due to the operation of the MPPT algorithm (possibly damaging the battery) or is constant due to the operation of the voltage control (hence, MPP cannot be achieved). In this way, the proposed control approach has the advantage of extracting the maximum energy of the PV panel, preventing battery damage caused by variable MPPT voltage, thereby extending the battery’s lifetime. Moreover, it allows overcoming of the drawbacks of the conventional solar chargers, which become slow or inaccurate during abrupt changes in weather conditions. The strategy is developed to be implemented in a low-cost AT91SAM3X8E Arduino Due microcontroller. Simulations by MATLAB/Simulink and experimental results from hardware implementation are provided and discussed, which validate the reliability and robustness of the control strategy.

Keywords: buck converter; solar battery charger; fuzzy logic controller; PV standalone system; digital MPPT (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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