Photovoltaic Maximum Power Point Tracking with Ultracapacitor Battery Hybrid Energy Storage

Abstract

Materials and Methods: The MPPT is realized in hardware. The newlineUltracapacitor is specially modeled for the photovoltaic applications by a novel approach known as Averaging Point Method (APM). In this method of APM, the fast, intermediate and slow branch parameters of UC are identified by a new approach and the results are up to the mark. The test bench of PV + MPPT + Battery + Ultracapacitor is created to check the performance for pulsed, cyclic and intermittent loads. The test bench created to test these loads concludes that by using the UC along with the batteries, the battery life is prolonged and State Of the Charge (SOC) for the battery is maintained at the high levels. Cost benefit analysis of MPPT, ultracapacitor and associated accessories is carried out. The cost benefit analysis along with payback period calculations gives idea of getting return on extra investment to put on MPPT hardware as well as the ultracapacitors. newlineResults and discussion: The solar cell modeling is derived by MATLAB/Simulink® software. The irradiation is changed from 200 W/m2 to 1000 W/m2. With the changing irradiation the P-V, I-V and P-I curves give the results according to the theoretical concepts. The MPPT implemented in hardware gives the excellent results, with the rate of charge improvement goes to 24 to 49% for the batteries and 62 to 134% for the ultracapacitors. The ultracapacitor is modeled with a completely new APM method and the results are far better than the available literature. The hybridization of the ultracapacitor and battery gives double fold advantage of battery energy density and the ultracapacitor power density. newline