Novel Predictive Maximum Power Point Tracking Techniques for Photovoltaic Applications

Abstract

This paper offers two Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) systems for Photovoltaic (PV) applications. The first MPPT method is based on a fixed frequency Model Predictive Control (MPC). The second MPPT technique is based on the Predictive Hysteresis Control (PHC). An experimental demonstration shows that the proposed techniques are fast, accurate and robust in tracking the maximum power under different environmental conditions. A DC/DC converter with a high voltage gain is obligatory to track PV applications at the maximum power and to boost a low voltage to a higher voltage level. For this purpose, a high gain Switched Inductor Quadratic Boost Converter (SIQBC) for PV applications is presented in this paper. The proposed converter has a higher gain than the other transformerless topologies in the literature. It is shown that at a high gain the proposed SIQBC has moderate efficiency.