Free and open source simulation tools for the design of power processing units for photovoltaic systems

• Main Authors: Sergio Morales-Hernández, Carlos Meza-Benavides
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica 2015-06-01
• Series: Tecnología en Marcha
• Subjects: Sistemas fotovoltaicos; herramientas de simulación; convertidores de potencia.
• Online Access: http://revistas.tec.ac.cr/index.php/tec_marcha/article/view/2333

Renewable energy sources, including solar photovoltaic, require electronic circuits that serve as interface between the transducer device and the device or system that uses energy. Moreover, the energy efficiency and the cost of the system can be compromised if such electronic circuit is not designed properly. Given that the electrical characteristics of the photovoltaic devices are nonlinear and that the most efficient electronic circuits for power processing are naturally discontinuous, a detailed dynamic analysis to optimize the design is required. This analysis should be supported by computer simulation tools. In this paper a comparison between two software tools for dynamic system simulation is performed to determinate its usefulness in the design process of photovoltaic systems, mainly in what corresponds to the power processing units. Using as a case of study a photovoltaic system for battery charging it was determined that Scicoslab tool was the most suitable.