Optimized Adaptive Perturb and Observe Maximum Power Point Tracking Control for Photovoltaic Generation

• Main Authors: Luigi Piegari, Renato Rizzo, Ivan Spina, Pietro Tricoli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-04-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT); Perturb & Observe (P&O); photovoltaic generation; push-pull converter
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/5/3418

The power extracted from PV arrays is usually maximized using maximum power point tracking algorithms. One of the most widely used techniques is the perturb & observe algorithm, which periodically perturbs the operating point of the PV array, sometime with an adaptive perturbation step, and compares the PV power before and after the perturbation. This paper analyses the most suitable perturbation step to optimize maximum power point tracking performance and suggests a design criterion to select the parameters of the controller. Using this proposed adaptive step, the MPPT perturb & observe algorithm achieves an excellent dynamic response by adapting the perturbation step to the actual operating conditions of the PV array. The proposed algorithm has been validated and tested in a laboratory using a dual input inductor push-pull converter. This particular converter topology is an efficient interface to boost the low voltage of PV arrays and effectively control the power flow when input or output voltages are variable. The experimental results have proved the superiority of the proposed algorithm in comparison of traditional perturb & observe and incremental conductance techniques.