Date of Graduation
12-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Zhao, Yue
Committee Member/Reader
Albers, David
Abstract
This thesis demonstrates the ability to model and simulate the operation of Maximum Power Point Tracking, MPPT. Moreover, the MPPT technology is contextualized within the confines of the Solar Splash competition to provide the foundation for future model development and simulation for optimal competition performance. MatLab Simulink was used to model the solar panel's operation. A MPPT algorithm was written using the perturb and observe method and was implemented in the model using a buck DC to DC converter. The performance of the model with hardware in the loop using Typhoon and dSPACE, which demonstrated how the actual hardware would operate in real time. The results showed that in Simulink, an idealized environment, the MPPT operates as expected. However, hardware simulation revealed inaccuracies of MPPT at lower irradiance values. For all cases, the driving force for changes in power is the value of irradiance.
Keywords
MPPT; Solar Splash; PV Array; Solar Panel
Citation
Zenko, K. (2017). MPPT Control for Solar Splash Photovoltaic Array. Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/meeguht/67
