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Introduction To MPPT: Amperor Associates LTD

An MPPT, or maximum power point tracker, is an electronic DC to DC converter that optimizes the power transfer from solar panels to battery banks. It does this by continuously adjusting the voltage and current to match the maximum power point of the solar panels to the batteries. This can increase energy harvest by up to 45% in winter by ensuring the panels operate at their power peak even as conditions change. The MPPT uses a high frequency switching converter to alter the voltage and current, allowing it to efficiently transfer power and maximize amps into the battery.

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107 views

Introduction To MPPT: Amperor Associates LTD

An MPPT, or maximum power point tracker, is an electronic DC to DC converter that optimizes the power transfer from solar panels to battery banks. It does this by continuously adjusting the voltage and current to match the maximum power point of the solar panels to the batteries. This can increase energy harvest by up to 45% in winter by ensuring the panels operate at their power peak even as conditions change. The MPPT uses a high frequency switching converter to alter the voltage and current, allowing it to efficiently transfer power and maximize amps into the battery.

Uploaded by

kalyan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IntroductiontoMPPT

AmperorAssociatesLtd

Unit5
KyleBusinessPark
Irvine
KA128JJ
Phone:(01294)276096
Fax:(01294)270656
Email:
[email protected]
www.amperorassociates.co.uk
AMPPT,ormaximumpowerpointtrackerisanelectronicDCtoDCconverterthat
optimizesthematchbetweenthesolararray(PVpanels),andthebatterybank

Sowhatdoyoumeanby"optimize"?

Solarcellsareneatthings.Unfortunately,theyarenotverysmart.Neitherarebatter
iesinfactbatteriesaredownrightstupid.MostPVpanelsarebuilttoputouta
nominal12volts.Thecatchisnominal.Inactualfact,almostallaredesignedtoput
outfrom16to36volts.Theproblemisthatanominal12voltbatteryisprettyclose
toanactual12volts10.5to12.7volts,dependingonstateofcharge.Undercharge,
mostbatterieswantfromaround13.2to14.2voltstofullychargequiteabitdiffer
entthanwhatmostpanelsaredesignedtoputout.
OK,sonowwehavethisneatAmperorAssociates70wattsolarpanel.Catch1is
thatitisratedat70wattsataparticularvoltageandcurrent.TheAmperorAssociates
70wattpanelisratedat3.69ampsat17.7volts3.69ampstimes17.7volts=70
watts.

Why70WattsdoesNOTequal70watts

WheredidmyWattsgo?
Sowhathappenswhenyouhookupthis70wattpaneltoyourbattery?Unfortu
nately,whathappensisnot70watts.
Yourpanelputsout3.69amps.Yourbatteryissettingat12voltsundercharge:3.69
ampstimes12volts=44.28watts.Youlost25wattsbutyoupaidfor70.That25
wattsisnotgoinganywhere,itjustisnotbeingproducedbecausethereisapoor
matchbetweenthepanelandthebattery.Withaverylowbattery,say10.5volts,it's
evenworseyoucouldbelosingasmuchas35%(10.5voltsx3.69amps=38watts.
Youlost32watts.
Onesolutionyoumightthinkofwhynotjustmakepanelssothattheyputout14
voltsorsotomatchthebattery?
Thecatchisthatthepanelisratedat70wattsatfullsunlightataparticulartempera
ture(STCorstandardtestconditions).Iftemperatureofthesolarpanelishigh,you
don'tget17volts.Atthetemperaturesseeninmanyhotclimateareas,youmightget
under15volts.Ifyoustartedwitha15voltpanel(likesomeofthesocalled"self
regulating"panels),youareintrouble,asyouwon'thaveenoughvoltagetoputa
chargeintothebattery.PVpanelshavetohaveenoughleewaybuiltintoperform
undertheworstofconditions.Thepanelwilljustsittherelookingdumb,andyour
batterieswillgetevenstupiderthanusual.

Whatismaximumpowerpointtracking?

First,thereisalwayssomeconfusionabouttheterm"tracking".
MaximumPowerPointTrackingthisiselectronictracking,andhasnothingtodo
withmovingthepanels.Instead,thecontrollerlooksattheoutputofthepanels,and
comparesittothebatteryvoltage.Itthenfiguresoutwhatisthebestpowerthatthe
panelcanputouttochargethebattery.Ittakesthisandconvertsittobestvoltageto
getmaximumAMPSintothebattery.(Remember,itisAmpsintothebatterythat
counts).MostmodernMPPT'sarearound9297%efficientintheconversion.You
typicallygeta20to45%powergaininwinterand1015%insummer.Actualgain

canvarywidelydependingweather,temperature,batterystateofcharge,andother
factors.

Page 2

IntroductiontoMPPT
AmperorAssociatesLtd

Unit5
KyleBusinessPark
Irvine
KA128JJ
Phone:(01294)276096
Fax:(01294)270656
Email:
[email protected]
www.amperorassociates.co.uk

HowMaximumPowerPointTrackingworks

Hereiswheretheoptimization,ormaximumpowerpointtrackingcomesin.Assume
yourbatteryislow,ataround11.5volts.AMPPTtakesthat17.7voltsat3.69amps
andconvertsit,sothatwhatthebatterygetsisnolonger3.69ampsat17.7volts,but
5.6ampsatabout12.5volts.Nowyoustillhavealmost70watts,andeveryoneis
happy.
Ideally,for100%powerconversionyouwouldgetaround6ampsat11.5volts,but
youhavetofeedthebatteryahighervoltagetoforcetheampsin.Andthisisasim
plifiedexplanationinactualfacttheoutputoftheMPPTchargecontrollermight
varycontinuallytoadjustforgettingthemaximumampsintothebattery.
AMPPTtracksthemaximumpowerpoint,whichisgoingtobedifferentfromthe
STC(StandardTestConditions)ratingunderalmostallsituations.Underverycold
conditionsa70wattpanelisactuallycapableofputtingover70+wattsbecausethe
poweroutputgoesupaspaneltemperaturegoesdownbutifyoudon'thavesome
wayoftrackingthatpowerpoint,youaregoingtoloseit.Ontheotherhandunder
veryhotconditions,thepowerdropsyoulosepowerasthetemperaturegoesup.
Thatiswhyyougetlessgaininsummer.

MPPT'saremosteffectiveundertheseconditions:

Winter,and/orcloudyorhazydayswhentheextrapowerisneededthemost.
Coldweathersolarpanelsworkbetteratcoldtemperatures,butwithouta
MPPTyouarelosingmostofthat.Coldweatherismostlikelyinwinterthetime
whensunhoursarelowandyouneedthepowertorechargebatteriesthemost.
Lowbatterychargethelowerthestateofchargeinyourbattery,themorecurrenta
MPPTputsintothemanothertimewhentheextrapowerisneededthemost.You
canhavebothoftheseconditionsatthesametime.

Ok,sonowbacktotheoriginalquestionWhatisaMPPT?

WhataMaximumPowerPointTrackeris:
ThePowerpointtrackerisahighfrequencyDCtoDCconverter.TheytaketheDC
inputfromthesolarpanels,changeittohighfrequencyAC,andconvertitback
downtoadifferentDCvoltageandcurrenttoexactlymatchthepanelstothebatter
ies.MPPT'soperateatveryhighaudiofrequencies,usuallyinthe2080kHzrange.
Theadvantageofhighfrequencycircuitsisthattheycanbedesignedwithveryhigh
efficiencytransformersandsmallcomponents.Thedesignofhighfrequencycircuits
canbeverytrickybecausetheproblemswithportionsofthecircuit"broadcasting"
justlikearadiotransmitterandcausingradioandTVinterference.Noiseisolation
andsuppressionbecomesveryimportant.
Thepowerpointtracker(andallDCtoDCconverters)operatesbytakingtheDC
inputcurrent,changingittoAC,runningthroughatransformer,andthenrectifyingit
backtoDC,followedbytheoutputregulator.InmostDCtoDCconverters,thisis
strictlyanelectronicprocessnorealsmartsareinvolvedexceptforsomeregulation

oftheoutputvoltage.Chargecontrollersforsolarpanelsneedalotmoresmartsas
lightandtemperatureconditionsvarycontinuouslyalldaylong,andbatteryvolta

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