Current Controlled Buck Converter Based PV Array Emulator

Abstract

It is difficult to obtain the output characteristics of a PV module, due to the fact of the changing environmental conditions. Thus, a PV emulator, which is a power electronic converter that reproduces the desired output characteristics irrespective of the environmental conditions, is preferred. This gives the flexibility to analyze the PV module in various and constant atmospheric conditions. A performance of Buck based PV emulator is simulated and implemented with different types of load (linear/non-linear) and is compared with a physical PV module. This type of emulators can be used to check working efficiency and output elements like voltage, current, loses etc. at the places where there is no sufficient solar lite available or some time due to weather, we cannot check these elements, but with this kind of device we can do those experiments.

It is difficult to obtain the output characteristics of a PV module, due to the fact of the changing environmental conditions. Thus, a PV emulator, which is a power electronic converter that reproduces the desired output characteristics irrespective of the environmental conditions, is preferred. This gives the flexibility to analyze the PV module in various and constant atmospheric conditions. A performance of Buck based PV emulator is simulated and implemented with different types of load (linear/non-linear) and is compared with a physical PV module. This type of emulators can be used to check working efficiency and output elements like voltage, current, loses etc. at the places where there is no sufficient solar lite available or some time due to weather, we cannot check these elements, but with this kind of device we can do those experiments.