Programmable photovoltaic submodules for hotspot mitigation

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dc.contributor.authorAlTarabsheh, Anas
dc.contributor.authorAbughalia, Ahmed
dc.contributor.authorAlSalmani, Abdullah
dc.contributor.authorAlSoufi, Ahmed
dc.contributor.authorBa`ba`, Leen
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-20T06:45:02Z
dc.date.available2024-05-20T06:45:02Z
dc.date.issued2023-05-03
dc.descriptionThe impact of shading PV modules has been widely investigated, and many researchers have developed both static and adaptive solutions at the cell and module levels. An example of this solution is the use of BPDs, where the current is rerouted through the diode to prevent overheating of the shaded cell; however, this will reduce the PV module’s panel’s output power. The drawbacks of using these BPDs are the high cost, losses are not entirely prevented due to the voltage drop across the forward-biased BPDs, and BPDs may excessively heat up due to the high current passing across (Yaden et al. Citation2013). However, the losses due to the voltage drop across the BPDs can be mitigated by utilising bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) or metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Another approach is the installation of one micro-inverter per submodule (Wirth and Wiesmeier C Citation2016) would be a valid solution, but it also holds some drawbacks, such as the reduced efficiency of the solar modules and the high expenses of implementing this concept.
dc.description.abstractThis paper introduces a novel approach to conventional Photovoltaic (PV) modules that involves regulating the internal connections of the PV strings (or submodules) using a set of switches to isolate shaded submodules while leaving unshaded submodules unaffected. By extending the connection types of the PV submodules to include parallel or series via an external circuit, along with a set of switches, the output voltage and current can be adjusted without requiring additional PV modules to increase the output current. A microcontroller is employed to control the connections of the PV submodules to achieve three modes: series connection, parallel connection, or mixed connection. As a result, there is no need for a buck-boost converter, and the effects of partial shading are minimized, while the hotspot effect is mitigated without bypass diodes. A Matlab/Simulink model is utilized to validate the proposed configurations, and two customized hardware PV modules are fabricated to represent the conventional module and the proposed module. The results obtained from the hardware implementation support the concept of separating shaded PV submodules and regulating the internal connections of the submodules in different configurations. This feature of separating the unshaded submodules is implemented to enhance the efficiency of the PV modules. KEYWORDS: Bypass diodes, hotspots, microcontroller, partial shading, Simulink
dc.identifier.citationAl Tarabsheh, A., Abughali, A. M., AlSalmani, A. M., AlSoufi, A. J., & Baba, L. B. (2023). Programmable photovoltaic submodules for hotspot mitigation. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 16(1), 1-13.
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1080/19397038.2023.2206418
dc.identifier.urihttps://dspace.adu.ac.ae/handle/1/5330
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherTaylor and Francis
dc.titleProgrammable photovoltaic submodules for hotspot mitigation
dc.typeArticle

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