Matlab/simulink based modeling of photovoltaic cell

Abstract

This paper focuses on a Matlab/SIMULINK model of a photovoltaic cell. This model is based on mathematical equations and is described through an equivalent circuit including a photocurrent source, a diode, a series resistor and a shunt resistor. The developed model allows the prediction of PV cell behaviour under different physical and environmental parameters. The model can also be used to extract the physical parameters for a given solar PV cell as a function of temperature and solar radiation. In addition, this study outlines the working principle of PV module as well as PV array. In order to validate the developed model, an experimental test bench was built and the obtained results exhibited a good agreement with the simulation ones.