MATLAB-Based Simulation Analysis of the Partial Shading at Different Locations on Series-Parallel PV Array Configuration

Abstract

The photovoltaic (PV) have their installations in outdoor conditions where they face several unfavorable conditions and one of them is shading. One form of shading is partial shading that create mismatch among solar PV cells consequently disturbing electrical outputs and performance of a PV array output and hence power losses are created. A lot of information can be gathered just by observing the shape and magnitude of the curves obtained from I-V & P-V characteristics of the photovoltaic array. The I-V & P-V characteristics under shading also show changes in their usual shape which is analyzed in our research paper using MATLAB/Simulink-based simulation results by examining the variation in the characteristics of a series-parallel photovoltaic array configuration under partial shading conditions. The simulated results show existence of multiple peaks and steps in the I-V & P-V characteristics. The second part of result section show a comparative study among different partial shading condition and the mismatching power loss is estimated to be 27.16%, 29%, and 42.8% for partial shading pattern cases 2, 3, and 4, respectively. This paper will help readers and researchers with a clear idea of what shading is and how it affects the output of photovoltaic systems with a change in shading.