A Fault Diagnosis Mechanism with Power Generation Improvement for a Photovoltaic Module Array

Kuei-Hsiang Chao and Pei-Lun Lai
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Kuei-Hsiang Chao: Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 41170, Taiwan
Pei-Lun Lai: Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 41170, Taiwan

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-19

Abstract: This paper aims to develop an online diagnostic mechanism, doubling as a maximum power point tracking scheme, for a photovoltaic (PV) module array. In case of malfunction or shadow event occurring to a PV module, the presented diagnostic mechanism is enabled, automatically and immediately, to reconfigure a PV module array for maximum output power operation under arbitrary working conditions. Meanwhile, the malfunctioning or shaded PV module can be located instantly by this diagnostic mechanism according to the array configuration, and a PV module replacement process is made more efficient than ever before for the maintenance crew. In this manner, the intended maximum output power operation can be resumed as soon as possible in consideration of a minimum business loss. Using a particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based algorithm, the PV module array is reconfigured by means of switch manipulations between modules, such that a load is supplied with the maximum amount of output power. For compactness, the PSO-based online diagnostic algorithm is implemented herein using a TMS320F2808 digital signal processor (DSP) and is experimentally validated as successful to identify a malfunctioning PV module at the end of this work.

Keywords: online diagnostic mechanism; photovoltaic module array; maximum power point tracking; particle swarm optimization; digital signal processor (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
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