Power enhanced solar PV array configuration based on calcudoku puzzle pattern for partial shaded PV system.

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Renewable Energy Systems
• Materials Science

Background:

• Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are susceptible to performance degradation due to environmental factors like partial shading.
• Partial shading causes reduced power conversion efficiency and mismatch losses in PV arrays.
• Existing solutions offer cost-effectiveness but have room for improvement in consistency and power generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel PV array configuration based on the calcudoku puzzle pattern.
• To enhance solar PV system performance by minimizing mismatch losses and increasing power output.
• To compare the proposed calcudoku configuration against conventional array designs under various shading scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A 9x9 PV array was simulated using MATLAB/Simulink®.
• The proposed calcudoku array configuration was compared with Series-parallel, Total Cross Tied (TCT), and Sudoku configurations.
• Performance evaluation was conducted under eight distinct partial shading patterns.
• Key performance metrics included power conversion rate and mismatch losses between PV rows.

Main Results:

• The calcudoku array configuration demonstrated significantly lower mismatch losses, ranging from 3.9% to 13.3%.
• Conventional configurations (Series-parallel, TCT, Sudoku) exhibited higher mismatch losses, from 13.8% to 51.9%.
• Reduced mismatch losses directly correlated with an improved power conversion rate for the PV array.

Conclusions:

• The calcudoku puzzle-based PV array configuration offers a superior method for mitigating partial shading effects.
• This innovative configuration enhances the consistency and power generation of solar PV systems.
• The findings suggest a promising approach for reducing mismatch losses and improving the overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar energy.