The Simulation and Design for Analysis of
Photovoltaic System Based on MATLAB
Ram Krishan
Electrical Engineering Department
National Institute of Technology
Hamirpur
(H.P.) India
e-mail: ramkrishan6388@gmail.com
Yog Raj Sood
Professor, Electrical Engineering
Department
National institute Of Technology
Hamirpur (H.P.) India
e-mail: yrsood@gmail.com
B.Uday Kumar
Electrical Engineering Department
National Institute of Technology
Hamirpur
(H.P.) India
e-mail: uk.bandaru@gmail.com
Abstract—This paper proposes a generalized model of the
photovoltaic cell in Matlab-Simulink. This proposed model is
based on basic mathematical equation of solar photovoltaic cell.
The PV modules have non-linear output characteristics. The
output I-V and P-V characteristics of photovoltaic cell are
depend on sunlight irradiance and cell temperature. The model
can be used to extract the physical parameters for a given solar
PV cell as a function of temperature and solar radiation. There
are number of models available in literature using different
software platforms. This simulation modal is very simple and
user friendly. The simulation results under MATLAB-
SIMULINK shows performance and dynamic behavior of the
given photovoltaic module.
Keywords—Photovoltaic array; Distributed generation;
Matlab-Simulink; Solar energy.
I. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the average rate of world primary power
consumption has increased to about 78.47 Btu (AEO 2012).
Additionally, the environmental impacts on usage of the
conventional sources have been disintegrative with the
environmental issues such as pollution, global warming,
excessive greenhouse effect etc. Because of these problems
and our declining supply of petroleum, finding sustainable
alternatives is becoming more and more urgent. Perhaps, the
greatest challenge is in devising a sustainable future, which
relies on integration and control of renewable energy sources
in grid distributed generation. Generation of power locally at
distribution voltage level by using non-conventional (or)
renewable energy sources like, solar photo voltaic cells, wind
power, biogas, and fuel cell is known as distributed generation
(DG).
Among renewable energy solar energy is a vast and
ultimate source of energy. If used in appropriate way, it has a
capacity to achieve numerous energy needs of the world.
The power from the sun captured by earth is approximately
3,850,000 exajoules (EJ)[1].This data, being thousands of time
larger than the present consumption rate empowers more and
more research in the field of solar energy so that the present
and future energy needs of the world can be achieved. Thus
Even though the PV system has high capital fabrication cost
and low conversion efficiency, the rise steeply oil prices make
solar energy naturally viable energy supply with potentially
long-term benefits.
PV module represents the fundamental power conversion
unit of a PV generator system. The solar insolation, the module
temperature and output voltage of PV module are the main
variables on which the output characteristics of PV module
depends. Since PV module has nonlinear characteristics, it is
essential to model it for the design and simulation of maximum
power point tracking (MPPT) for PV system applications. The
mathematical PV models used in simulation have been built for
over the past four decades [2]-[3]. Almost all well-developed
PV models describe the v-i and p-v characteristics mainly
affected by the solar insolation, module temperature, and load
voltage. However, the equivalent circuit models of PV cell are
implemented on simulation platforms of power electronics,
such as SPICE. Presently, a number of powerful component-
based electronics simulation software package have become
popular in the design and development of power electronics
applications. However, the Matlab-Simulink package offers
wind turbine models but no PV model to integrate with current
electronics simulation technology. Thus, it is difficult to
simulate and study the generic modeling of PV power system.
So there need to develop a generalized simulation model for
PV cell, module and array in Matlab-Simulink environment.
This proposed generic model which will plot P-V as well as V-
I curve for any type of material and different diode ideality
factor. That’s why this model can be called as generalized
model for plotting curves for photovoltaic system.
II. PHOTOVOLTAIC MODEL
A. Basics of PV Module
Basically photovoltaic cell is a semiconductor diode whose
junction is exposed to light. P-N junction of the photovoltaic
cell is made of several types of semiconductor materials using
different manufacturing techniques to reduce the cost and
optimize efficiency. The solar cell consist of a Boron doped P
type substrate to which Phosphorous atoms are added using
high temperature diffusion method in order to form the P-N
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