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MATLAB Based Modeling of PV Array and its Study for Different Conditions

Conference Paper · January 2012

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2778.0968

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 International conference on emerging trends in engineering and technology
Proceeding ISBN: 978-93-8137804-5
college of engineering ,teerthanker mahaveer university 2012

MATLAB Based Modeling of PV Array and

its Study for Different Conditions
Mohd. Faisal Jalil1 Mohammed Aslam Husain2 Mirza Tabish Shah Beg3 Abu Tariq4
1,2,3
Department of Electrical Engineering,AligarhMuslimUniversity (AMU), Aligarh , INDIA
4
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, INDIA
1
Corresponding Author :[email protected]
2
Corresponding Author : [email protected]

Abstract: The paper presents the modeling of a photovoltaic II. MODELING OF PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL
array in Matlab/Simulink environment. The model is A. Photovoltaic Cell
developed using basic circuit equations of the photovoltaic The basic equation from the theory of semiconductors [1]
(PV) solar cells including the effects of solar irradiation and that mathematically describes the I-V characteristic of the
temperature changes. The equations of the model are ideal photovoltaic cell is:
presented in details. Firstly the mathematical modeling of a  qV 
solar cell is done, then how a solar module, array and panel is I C  I Ph  I 0  e C  1 (1)
obtained using that cell is shown clearly. Different  kTC 
characteristics of cell, module, and array have been obtained Where: Iph is the short-circuit current that is equal to the
for different parameters. Solar PV panel is a non linear power
photon generated current.
source that needs accurate identification of optimal operating
point. It is desired to operate Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) panel  qVd 
at its maximum power output for economic reasons. This I d  I 0  e kTc  1 (2)
paper is useful to model, simulate and study the effect of  
changing ambient conditions of the photovoltaic arrays. The
accuracy of Model is experimentally verified. Where, I d is the current shunted through the intrinsic
diode, the diode current Id is given by the Shockley’s diode
Keywords– SPV Array, Insolation, MATLAB Simulation. equation; Vd is the voltage across the diode (D). k is
Boltzmann constant ,q is electron charge , I O is reverse
I. INTRODUCTION
saturation current of diode , TC is reference cell operating
With the rapid increase in the demand of energy, it has temperature (25 °C).
become the need of time to switch over to the renewable
energy sources. Development and utilization of renewable B. Modeling The Photovoltaic Array
energy and green energy is necessary for sustainable
development. The solar energy is the ideal green energy Practical arrays are composed of several connected
and a photovoltaic system (PVS) is the most simple and photovoltaic cells and the observation of the characteristics
reliable way to produce electricity from the conversion of at the terminals of the photovoltaic array requires the
solar energy. The basic building device of SPV system is inclusion of additional parameters to the basic equation [1]:
SPV cell. Many SPV cells are grouped together to form
modules.SPV array may be either a module or a group of
modules arranged in series and parallel configuration. The
output of SPV system may be directly fed to the loads or
may use a power electronic converter to process it. To
study the converters and other connected performances it is
necessary to proper model of SPV systems [2].
The main task of this paper is to develop a
simulation model of SPV cell, module and array to Fig.1.Single-diode model of the theoretical photovoltaic cell.
reproduce the characteristics of existing SPV systems.
Characteristics of developed models have been shown for
different conditions. This text presents in details the
equations that form the I-V model. The aim of this paper is
to provide the reader with all necessary information to
develop photovoltaic array models and circuits that can be
used in the simulation for photovoltaic applications.

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college of engineering ,teerthanker mahaveer university 2012
For simplicity the single-diode model of Fig. 1 is studied in
this paper. This model offers a good compromise between
simplicity and accuracy[8] and has been used by several
authors in previous works, sometimes with simplifications
but always with the basic structure composed of a current
source and a parallel diode [2,9,10].
Manufacturers of SPV arrays, instead of the I-V equation,
Fig. 2.Characteristic I-V curve of the photovoltaic cell. The net cell provide only a few experimental data about electrical and
current I is composed of the light-generated current Ipv and the diode
thermal characteristics. Unfortunately some of the
current Id.
parameters required for adjusting photovoltaic array
models cannot be found in the manufacturers’ data sheets,
such as the light-generated or photovoltaic current, the
series and shunt resistances, the diode ideality constant, the
diode reverse saturation current, and the band gap energy
of the semiconductor.
All photovoltaic array datasheets bring basically the
following information: the nominal open-circuit voltage
Voc,n, the nominal short-circuit current Iscn, the voltage at
the maximum power point Vmp, the current at the
maximum power point Imp, the open circuit
voltage/temperature coefficient KV, the short circuit
current/temperature coefficient KI , and the maximum
Fig.3A typical, current-voltage I-V curve for a solar cell for different load experimental peak output power Pmax,e. This information
and the three remarkable points: short circuit (0, Isc), maximum power is always provided with reference to the nominal or
point (Vmax, Imax) and open-circuit (Voc, 0). standard test conditions (STC) of temperature and solar
irradiation.
 qVCICRS   V I R  Some manufacturers provide I-V curves for several
AkT irradiation and temperature conditions. These curves make
IC  IPh I0 e  c  1  C C S  (3) easier the adjustment and the validation of the desired
   RP  mathematical I-V equation. Basically this is all the
 
However, if the load R is small, the cell operates in the information one can get from datasheets of photovoltaic
region M-N of the curve Fig.3, where the cell behaves as a arrays. Electric generators are generally classified as
constant current source, almost equal to the short circuit current or voltage sources. The practical photovoltaic
current. On the other hand, if the load R is large, the cell device presents an hybrid behavior, which may be of
operates on the regions P-S of the curve, the cell behaves current or voltage source depending on the operating point.
more as a constant voltage source, almost equal to the Datasheets only inform the nominal short-circuit current
open-circuit voltage. where Iph and I0 are the photovoltaic (Isc,n), which is the maximum current available at the
and saturation currents of the array and Vt = NskT/q is the terminals of the practical device. The assumption Isc≈ Ipv is
thermal voltage of the array with Ns cells connected in generally used in photovoltaic models because in practical
series. Cells connected in parallel increase the current and devices the series resistance is low and the parallel
cells connected in series provide greater output voltages.Rs resistance is high. The light generated current of the
is the equivalent series resistance of the array and Rp is the photovoltaic cell depends linearly on the solar irradiation
equivalent parallel resistance. This equation originates the and is also influenced by the temperature according to the
I-V curve seen in Fig. 3. following equation [19, 32–34]:
The equation (3) represents the practical SPV cell. Here the Ipv = ( Ipv,n + K1∆T ) (4)
five parameters areIph,I0,VtRS,RP. This equation can also be Where Ipv,n [A] is the light-generated current at the
used to represent a series/parallel connected module by nominal condition (usually 25 ◦C and 1000W/m2), T = T −
suitably modifying its parameters [2]. Tn, G[W/m2] is the irradiation on the device surface, and
Eq. (3) describes the single-diode model presented in Fig.1. Gn is the nominal irradiation.
Some authors have proposed more sophisticated models
, ∆
that present better accuracy and serve for different Io= , ∆ (5)
purposes. For example, in [3–6] an extra diode is used to
represent the effect of the recombination of carriers. In [7] The saturation current I0 of the photovoltaic cells that
a three-diode model is proposed to include the influence of compose the device depend on the saturation current
effects which are not considered by the previous models. density of the semiconductor (J0, generally given in

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 International conference on emerging trends in engineering and technology
college of engineering ,teerthanker mahaveer university 2012
[A/cm2]) and on the effective area of the cells. The current
density J0 depends on the intrinsic characteristics of the
photovoltaic cell, which depend on several physical
parameters such as the coefficient of diffusion of electrons
in the semiconductor, the lifetime of minority carriers, the
intrinsic carrier density, and others [7]. This kind of
information is not usually available for commercial
photovoltaic arrays.
The value of the diode constant a may be arbitrarily
chosen. Many authors discuss ways to estimate the correct
value of this constant [8, 10]. Usually 1 ≤ a ≤ 1.5 and the
choice depends on other parameters of the I-V model.
Some values for a are found in [11] based on empirical Fig. 5. P-V curve adjusted to three remarkable points.
analysis. As [8] says, there are different opinions about the
best way to choose a. Because a expresses the degree of TABLE 1
ideality of the diode and it is totally empirical, any initial Parameters of the PV array at
value of a can be chosen in order to adjust the model. The 25 ◦C, AM1.5, 1000W/m2.
value of a can be later modified in order to improve the Imp 7.61A
model fitting if necessary. This constant affects the Vmp 26.3V
curvature of the I-V characteristic and varying a can Pmax,e 200.143W
slightly improve the model accuracy. Isc 8.21A
The practical SPV cell has a series resistance Rse whose Voc 32.9V
influence is stronger when the device operates in the
KV −0.1230V/K
voltage source region and a parallel resistance Rsh with
KI 0.003 A/K
stronger influence in the current source region of operation.
The value of Rsh is generally high and some authors Ns 54
neglect this resistance to simplify the model [10], [12]-
[13]. The value of Rse is very low, and sometimes this
parameter is neglected too [12],[14]. The reference value of
Rse is found from the V-I characteristics at reference TABLE II
conditions. The equation for variation of Rsh is found Parameters of the adjusted model of the
experimentally and curve fitting equation is given by solar array at nominal operating conditions.
equation (6). Imp 7.61A
RSH= 3.6/(G-.086) (6) Vmp 26.3V
The simulation results for different cases of parameter Pmax,m 200.143W
considerations are given from Fig.4& Fig.5Figs. 4 and 5 Isc 8.21A
show the I-V and P-V curves of theKC200GT photovoltaic Voc 32.9V
array adjusted with the proposed method. The model I0,n 9.825 ・10−8 A
curves exactly match with the experimental data at the Ipv 8.214A
three remarkable points provided by the datasheet: short a 1.3
circuit, maximum power, and open circuit. Table I shows Rp 415.405
the experimental parameters of the array obtained Rs 0.221
from the data sheet and Table II shows the adjusted
VALIDATING THE MODEL
parameters and model constants.
As Tables I and II and Figs. 4 and 5 have shown, the
developed model and the experimental data are exactly
matched at the nominal remarkable points of the I-V curve
and the experimental and mathematical maximum peak
powers coincide.
The objective of adjusting the mathematical I-V curve at
the three remarkable points was successfully achieved.
In order to test the validity of the model array with
different Nss, Npp are drawn. I-V & P-V characteristics for
varying insolation and temperature have been obtained.
Fig. 4. I-V curve adjusted to three remarkable points

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college of engineering ,teerthanker mahaveer university 2012

Fig 6. I-V curve shows the comparison for Nss=1,Npp=1 &Nss=2,Npp=2.

Fig 9. I-V curve for Nss=2,Npp=3 at different insolation.

Fig 7. P-V curve shows the comparison for Nss=1,Npp=1

&Nss=2,Npp=2.
Fig 10. I-V curve for Nss=2,Npp=3 at different temperature.

Fig 8. P-V curve shows the comparison for Nss=3,Npp=1,

Nss=2,Npp=1,Nss=1,Npp=1.
Fig 11. P-V curve for Nss=2,Npp=3 at different temperature.

CONCLUSION
This paper has analyzed the development of a method for
the mathematical modeling of photovoltaic arrays. The
straightforward method has been proposed to fit the
mathematical V-I curve to the remarkable points without
the need to guess or to estimate any parameters. The
proposed method has given a closed solution for the
problem of finding the parameters of the five parameter
model equation of a practical SPV module. This paper has
Fig 9. I-V curve shows the comparison for Nss=3,Npp=1, presented in details the equations that constitute the single-
Nss=2,Npp=1Nss=1,Npp=1. diode photovoltaic I-V model and the algorithm necessary

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college of engineering ,teerthanker mahaveer university 2012
to obtain the parameters of the equation. This paper [12] Glass.M.C., “Improved solar array power point model
provides the reader with all necessary information to easily with SPICE realization,” in Proc. 31st Intersoc. Energy
develop a single-diode photovoltaic array model for Convers.Eng.Conf. (IECEC), 1996, vol. 1, pp. 286–291.
analyzing and simulating a photovoltaic array. [13] Kuo.Y.C., Liang.T.J. andChen.J.F., “Novel maximum-
power- ointtracking controller for photovoltaic energy
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