Solar-Powered LVDC Nano-Grid with Smart FPGA-based Residential Power Switching Algorithm

Abstract

A Low Voltage Direct Current (LVDC) nano-grid opens new potentials for the electrification of isolated rural settlements, urban residential structures, and the existing grid infrastructure. This study introduces and examines the Power-Sharing Control (PSC) of a solar Photovoltaic (PV) system connected to a low-voltage DC nano-grid. Effective control and power management between the components of a planned LVDC nano-grid system are presented, as is the use of a PSC algorithm implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). General simulation investigations are tested to analyse the system’s performance using the recommended controller. The proposed LVDC nano-grid idea is developed, and its hardware is assessed. The results of the hardware under different settings are shown and discussed. The proposed nano-grid model is implemented in matrix laboratory (MATLAB)-Simulink and has an FPGA-based Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller and a central PSC algorithm; simulation studies are performed, and results are achieved. 100 W nano-grid hardware is set up and tested. Quantitative cost-benefit analyses of the LVDC nano-grid of the proposed controller are given.