World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 60 2009

A Voltage Based Maximum Power Point

Tracker for Low Power and Low Cost
Photovoltaic Applications

Jawad Ahmad, and Hee-Jun Kim

� amount of electric power generated by solar arrays varies with

the ambient weather conditions [1].
Abstract—This paper describes the design of a voltage based The solar V-I characteristic is highly nonlinear and
maximum power point tracker (MPPT) for photovoltaic (PV) changes with irradiation and temperature as shown in Fig. 1
applications. Of the various MPPT methods, the voltage based and 2 [2]. In general, there is a unique point on the V-I curve
method is considered to be the simplest and cost effective. The
called the maximum power point (MPP) at which the PV
major disadvantage of this method is that the PV array is
disconnected from the load for the sampling of its open circuit
array operates at maximum efficiency. Maximum power point
voltage, which inevitably results in power loss. Another trackers (MPPT) are used to maintain the PV array’s
disadvantage, in case of rapid irradiance variation, is that if the operating point at the MPP to maximize its output.
duration between two successive samplings, called the sampling Various MPPT techniques are described in [1] and [3]. Of
period, is too long there is a considerable loss. This is because the these methods, the perturb and observe (P&O) and the
output voltage of the PV array follows the unchanged reference incremental conductance (IC) method are considered to be the
during one sampling period. Once a maximum power point (MPP) is most efficient [1].
tracked and a change in irradiation occurs between two successive
samplings, then the new MPP is not tracked until the next sampling
4

of the PV array voltage. This paper proposes an MPPT circuit in 3.5

which the sampling interval of the PV array voltage, and the 3

Vmpp

sampling period have been shortened. The sample and hold circuit
Solar Array Current (A)

2.5 Vmpp

has also been simplified. The proposed circuit does not utilize a
microcontroller or a digital signal processor and is thus suitable for
2

Vmpp
low cost and low power applications. 1.5

0.5

Keywords—Maximum power point tracker, Sample and hold 0

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

amplifier, Sampling interval, Sampling period. Solar Array Terminal Voltage (V)

Fig. 1 Nonlinear VI characteristics of the solar panel for different

I. INTRODUCTION irradiation

W ORLDWIDE interest in sustainable energy is

increasing due to the energy crisis and the aggravated
environmental pollution. Solar energy is an important
3.5

renewable energy source. As compared to other energy Vmpp

Vmpp

sources, solar energy is clean, inexhaustible and free. 2.5

Solar Array Current (A)

Photovoltaic (PV) arrays are used to convert solar energy into 2

electrical energy. But the PV systems have two major 1.5

problems: the conversion efficiencies of the PV arrays is low

1
(9-16%) especially under low irradiation conditions and the
0.5

Jawad Ahmad is with Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, 0

5 10 15
Solar Array Terminal Voltage (V)
20 25

Hanyang University, 1271 Sa-3dong, Songnuk-gu, Ansan 425-791, Kyeonggi-

do, South Korea (Tel: 82-31-4062325, Fax 82-31-4003799, email: Fig. 2 Temperature impact on the VI characteristics of the solar
[email protected]. He is doing MS in Electronic Engineering under the panel
Higher Education Commission, Government of Pakistan, program titled: “MS
Level Training in Korean Universities and Industries.”
Professor Hee-Jun Kim is with Electrical and Computer Engineering In the P&O method the MPP is tracked by repeatedly
Department, Hanyang University, 4 1-dong, Ansan 425-791, South Korea increasing or decreasing the output voltage of the PV array at
(email: [email protected])
the MPP. This method not only has relatively simple control

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 60 2009

algorithm but also tracks the MPP well. However, in the will never operate at the MPP. The method in [4] can also be
normal weather conditions, the operating point of the PV unsuitable for cost and space constrained applications [3].
array oscillates around the MPP giving rise to wasting of Another challenge in the design of voltage based MPPT is
some amount of the available energy [3]. In rapidly changing the choice of the duration between two successive samplings
atmospheric conditions, this method takes considerable time of the PV array voltage, called the sampling period. If the
to track the MPP and during this time a significant amount of sampling period is too long, as in case of [6], there is
power is lost [4]. The IC method is developed to remove the considerable power loss. This is because the output voltage of
drawbacks of the P&O method. The IC method tracks the the PV module follows the unchanged reference during one
MPP of the PV array by comparing incremental conductance sampling period. Once an MPP is tracked and a step in
with the instantaneous one. As a result, under rapidly irradiance occurs between two consecutive samplings, then
changing atmospheric conditions, the IC method tracks the the new MPP is not calculated until the next sampling of the
MPP well. But this method has a disadvantage, that it array voltage. Consequently, the method initially achieves an
requires a complex control circuit. incorrect MPP instead of the current one [1]. The new MPP is
Another common MPPT technique is the current based achieved only after the next sampling of the array voltage.
MPPT. This technique uses the fact that the operating current This problem is more pronounced when the irradiation
at the MPP of a PV array is linearly proportional to its short changes quickly. Additionally, when sample and hold
circuit current [3]. Under rapidly changing atmospheric amplifier is used, as in this paper, and the sampling period is
conditions this method has fast response speed of tracking the too long, the hold capacitor will droop. This causes Vref to
MPP. But for the online measurements of PV array short change during the sampling period and, as a result, the PV
circuit current make the current based MPPT hardware more operating point deviates from the MPP. To overcome this
complicated and expensive [5]. problem, extended hold time S&H is used [8, 13]. In this
The voltage based MPPT technique is based on the fact that arrangement extended hold time is achieved by stacking two
the PV array voltage corresponding to the maximum power S&H circuits in chain. By adopting this method, the problem
exhibits a linear dependence with respect to the array open of deviation of the PV operating point from the MPP is
circuit voltage for different irradiation and temperature levels, mitigated, but this arrangement increases the number of
i.e., components and the system cost.

Vmpp = Mv .Voc (1)

PV Dc-Dc Converter Load
Where Vmpp is the maximum power point voltage, Voc is the Panel

open circuit voltage of the PV array and Mv is the voltage

factor. The voltage factor has the value between 0.7−0.8
depending upon the PV array characteristics. Fig. 3 gives the
block diagram of the voltage based MPPT. Vpv
Comparator PWM
To operate the PV panel at the MPP, the actual PV array and Error
Amplifier
Generator

voltage Vpv is compared with the reference voltage Vref which Vref

corresponds to the Vmpp . The error signal is then processed to Fig. 3 Block diagram of the voltage based MPPT
make Vpv = Vref . Normally, the panel is disconnected from
the load momentarily to sample its open circuit voltage. The In this paper an MPPT circuit is proposed which addresses
fraction of the open circuit voltage corresponding to the Vmpp these problems. Also in the proposed circuit, the sampling
is measured and is kept in a hold circuit for the converter to interval has been reduced considerably. The proposed MPPT
function as Vref for the control loop [6]. does not utilize microcontroller or a digital signal processor
Even though the voltage based MPPT method is classified and is thus suitable for low cost and low power applications.
as quasi seek method [3], but research has shown that this
method has efficiency comparable to the P&O and IC method
III. PROPOSED MPPT
under normal illumination conditions [7].
In Fig. 4 is shown the circuit diagram of the proposed
MPPT. S0 is the static switch used for disconnecting the PV
II. LIMITATIONS OF VOLTAGE BASED MPPT array from the load for the sampling of the array voltage [5].
The main disadvantage of this method is that there is D0 is the reverse blocking diode, and S1 is the main
momentary power loss due to the disconnection of the load switching MOSFET. In the proposed MPPT the S&H has a
from the PV array for the sampling of its open circuit voltage. fast acquisition time [11]. The reason for choosing the S&H
Reference [4] has suggested the use of pilot PV array which with fast acquisition time is to reduce the length of the
has the same characteristics as the main PV array. By using sampling interval and, consequently, the power annulment
that method the problem of opening the PV array has been period. The S&H also has a low droop rate to avoid the
overcome. However, if there is mismatch between the deviation of the PV operating point from the MPP during the
properties of the main and the pilot PV array, then the system sampling period, as discussed in the previous section. The

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 60 2009

sampling period is chosen to be 100ms. The combination of IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

short sampling period and low droop rate of the S&H obviates The proposed MPPT was implemented and indoor testing
the need for using extended hold time S&H thereby of the circuit has been performed. For indoor testing, a
decreasing the number of components in the proposed MPPT. variable DC voltage source was used in series with a variable
In the proposed MPPT, the PV array is disconnected from resistor [9]. The DC power supply has a maximum power
the load for sampling of its open circuit voltage. During the point at half of the source voltage. Therefore, the MPPT
sampling interval the S&H is triggered into the sampling should always track the input voltage to the converter such
mode. The array voltage is sampled by the S&H and a that the input voltage to the converter is equal to the half of
fraction thereof is kept in the hold capacitor to act as Vref for the power supply voltage. For this purpose the voltage factor
the converter to latch on to. in the prototype MPPT was taken to be 0.5. The converter
The length of the sampling interval and the sampling switching frequency was fixed at 100 kHz. Figs. 6, 7, and 8
period is controlled by a 555 timer and a dual monostable show the experimental results. In Fig. 6 the top oscilloscope
multivibrator (MMV). This is shown schematically in Fig. 5. trace indicates the signal at the output of the MMV1, the
Both the MMVs are negative edge triggered [12]. The timer middle signal is that at the output of the MMV2, and at the
produces a falling edge after every 100ms which is the bottom is the PWM signal at the main switching MOSFET
duration of the sampling gate. Fig. 6 indicates that the PWM signal to the main
switching MOSFET is turned off during the sampling
interval. The top oscilloscope trace in Fig. 7 indicates the
acquisition of new Vref at the output of the S&H and the
bottom trace shows the current into the converter. As can be
seen, that the current into the converter is disconnected
during the sampling interval. Fig. 8 shows the MPP tracked
by the proposed circuit during the indoor testing.

Fig. 4 Circuit diagram of the proposed MPPT

Fig. 6 The signal at the true output of MMV1(top),MMV2(middle),

and the PWM signal at the MOSFET gate (bottom)
Fig. 5 Block diagram of the circuit controlling the sampling interval
and the sampling period

period. The output pulse width at the true output of the

MMV1 is 5µs. As shown in Fig. 5, the true out put of the
MMV1 connected to the dead time control (DTC) of the pulse
width modulation (PWM) controller [10], to turn off its
output during the sampling interval. The complementary
output of the MMV1, which is connected to the driving
circuit of S0, turns it off and the PV array is disconnected
from the load for 5µs.
The MMV2 is triggered into the timing state synchronously
with the MMV1. The output of the MMV2 triggers the S&H
into the sampling mode. To ensure that the PV array voltage
is sampled well before the array is reconnected to the load
and to make allowance for the hold mode settling time of the Fig. 7 The output of S&H (top), the input current to the converter
S&H, the width of the output pulse of the MMV2 is kept (bottom)
shorter than MMV1.

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 60 2009

[12] Fairchild Semiconductors Inc, 74LS221: Dual Non-Retriggerable One-

6.5
Shot, Datasheet.
6
[13] “Special sample and hold techniques”, National Semiconductor,
Application Report 294. Available: http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-
5.5 294.pdf
5
Vmpp (volts)

4.5

3.5

2.5
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Voc (volts)

Fig. 8 The MPP tracked by the proposed circuit during indoor

testing for a range of input voltage indicating Vmpp/Voc=0.5

V. CONCLUSION
An open circuit voltage based MPPT has been designed
and the indoor testing thereof has been performed. The
proposed MPPT has short sampling time of 5µs and short
sampling period of 100ms to overcome some of the
disadvantages of the voltage based MPPT. The sample and
hold circuit has also been simplified. The proposed MPPT
does not utilize microcontroller or a digital signal processor
and is thus suitable to low cost and low power applications.

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