A Novel PV Array Reconfiguration Algorithm Approach to Optimising Power Generation across Non-Uniformly Aged PV Arrays by Merely Repositioning

Mohammed Alkahtani, Zuyu Wu, Colin Sokol Kuka, Muflah S. Alahammad and Kai Ni
Additional contact information
Mohammed Alkahtani: Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GJ, UK
Zuyu Wu: Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GJ, UK
Colin Sokol Kuka: Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, Heslington York YO10 5EZ, UK
Muflah S. Alahammad: Aerospace, Canfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
Kai Ni: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China

J, 2020, vol. 3, issue 1, 1-22

Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) module working conditions lack consistency and PV array power outputs fluctuate due to the non-uniform impact that aging has on various PV modules in a PV array. No assessment has been conducted on the energy potential of a non-uniform PV array, despite the fact that the maximum power point (MPP) can be tracked by global maximum power point tracking (GMPPT). Therefore, the present work undertakes such an assessment by devising an algorithm to optimise the PV array electrical structure as the PV modules undergo aging in a non-uniform way. To enable PV arrays with non-uniform aging to produce as much power as possible and to make maintenance more cost-effective, the work puts forward a novel approach for reconfiguring PV arrays, where the PV modules are repositioned by retaining the aged PV modules. By this approach, the selection of the best reconfiguration topology necessitates the information on the electrical parameters associated with the PV modules in an array. Furthermore, the non-uniform aging of the PV modules can engender an incompatibility effect, which can be diminished in the proposed algorithm through iterative sorting of the modules in a hierarchical pattern. To determine how effective the method is for PV arrays with non-uniform aging and of different sizes, such as 3 × 4, 5 × 8 and 7 × 8 arrays, computer simulation and analysis have been conducted, with findings indicating that, irrespective of dimensions, PV arrays with non-uniform aging can have improved power yield.

Keywords: solar photovoltaic; rearrangement; maximum power point tracking; non-uniform aging; reconfiguration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 I10 I12 I13 I14 I18 I19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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