A Glowworm Swarm Optimization-Based Maximum Power Point Tracking for Photovoltaic/Thermal Systems under Non-Uniform Solar Irradiation and Temperature Distribution

Yi Jin, Wenhui Hou, Guiqiang Li and Xiao Chen
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Yi Jin: Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei 230036, China
Wenhui Hou: Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei 230036, China
Guiqiang Li: Department of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei 230026, China
Xiao Chen: State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei 230026, China

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: The output power of a photovoltaic (PV) system depends on the external solar irradiation and its own temperature. In order to obtain more power from the PV system, the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is necessary. However, when the PV is partially shaded, there will be multiple peaks in the power-current (P-I) curve. The conventional MPPT methods may be invalid due to falling into the local peak. In addition, in a photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) system, the non-uniform temperature distribution on PV will also occur, which complicates the situation. This paper presents a MPPT method with glowworm swarm optimization (GSO) for PV in a PV/T system under non-uniform solar irradiation and temperature distribution. In order to study the performance of the proposed method, the conventional methods including the perturbation and observe algorithm (P and O), and the fractional open-circuit voltage technique (FOCVT) are compared with it in this paper. Simulation results show that the proposed method can rapidly track the real maximum power point (MPP) under different conditions, such as the gradient temperature distribution, the fast variable solar irradiation and the variable partial shading. The outcome indicates the proposed method has obvious advantages, especially the performance being superior to the conventional methods under the partial shading condition.

Keywords: maximum power point tracking (MPPT); glowworm swarm optimization (GSO); photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T); non-uniform solar irradiation; temperature distribution (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: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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