Upload
rafer
View
45
Download
7
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
P12407: Multiple-input Photovoltaic Energy Harvesting System. Abstract - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Citation preview
P12407: Multiple-input Photovoltaic Energy Harvesting
SystemAbstractThe purpose of this project is to build a clean self-sustained photovoltaic
energy harvesting system. The system will accept input from multiple, high-efficiency solar panels and store the energy in Lithium-Ion battery cells. The system will be used to drive a resistive load from either the battery or directly from the solar panels, depending on the state of the
system. The system will accept input power from the solar panels regardless of the amount of light incident on each panel.
BackgroundTypically, large arrays of solar panels are less efficient with increasing size. This is because any reduction in the power produced by a single panel will
cause that panel to sink current from the system, which reduces efficiency and can damage the photovoltaic substrate. By breaking up the solar array into
separate branches, this project aims to eliminate this wasteful current backflow and increase total system efficiency from panel to load.
Harvesting Solar Energy using MPPT Storing Energy with Li-Ion BatteriesThe I-V curve of a solar panel is widely variant, based on the intensity and angle of the incident light. In order to extract the maximum power from a panel, a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm must be employed. This algorithm maintains the correct voltage-current relationship at the output of the solar panel in order to provide maximum power output.
In order to safely charge Lithium-Ion batteries, a special, nonlinear charging curve must be followed.
The battery will only accept a high-current charge input when its output voltage is above 10%
nominal, requiring a trickle-charge for voltages less than 10%. At 90% nominal output
voltage, the charge current must taper off. This charging profile is
implemented with the use of specialty Li-Ion charging IC’s.
System Implementation
Solar Panel MPPT Controller
Buck-Boost Converter
Li-Ion Battery
Power-switching output circuitry
Solar Panel MPPT Controller
Battery Charger
To Load
Multiple branches of solar panels and MPPT controllers are merged at the input of a buck-boost converter, with low-dropout diodes to prevent damaging current backflow. The buck-boost chip circuitry conditions the power for the battery charger, which charges the battery using a Li-Ion charging algorithm.
Power-switching circuitry at the output allows the load to be driven by either the battery or the buck-boost output directly, depending on the battery’s charge.
Input from panel/MPPT branches
Buck/boost converter
Battery ChargerPower-switching output circuitry
PCB Implementation
Microcontroller for monitoring and data acquisition
Output to load
Battery connection
Final System
Efficiency Analysis
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5 3.2785
2.351252.1465
System Charging Efficiency
Pow
er (W
atts
)
MPPT Output
Buck-BoostOutput Battery
ChargingPower
In order to measure the system’s charging efficiency, the current and voltage at each node is measured at a given time interval during the battery’s full-current charge state.
These measurements are performed by current-sense
amplifiers and voltage dividers connected to ADC pins on the microcontroller. Multiplying the currents and voltages together
allows the total power efficiency to be directly observed across each
stage of the system.
0102030405060708090
100100%
71.7%65.4%
Relative Charging Efficiency
TotalPhotovoltaic
PowerBuck-boost Efficiency Total System
Efficiency