Simulation and fabrication of a maximum power point tracker monitoring and validating system

Abstract

Simulation of a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm prior to implementation is useful in avoiding unnecessary prototyping, fabricating and testing costs. Also upon implementation of the actual hardware system, performance monitoring and recording of the system behavior is of importance. The data manipulated above is useful in energy management and saving applications. To full fill the above requirements and to demonstrate it, a system hardware and software is designed in the research. The proposed user-software provides a gateway to real time monitoring of a prototype MPPT converter performance. Additionally, through the proposed user software, obtaining datasets to model a solar cell of interest for more accurate simulation on a given algorithm is made possible. Also it is demonstrated that the software and the prototype system together help monitoring and validating the performance of a solar panel based system.