Performance Enhancement of Solar Energy using PID controller based DC-DC boost converter

Abstract

Solar systems, as the name implies, combine two or more modes of electricity generation together, usually using renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbines. Renewable energy based solar power system is becoming the topic of attraction to the power system designers because of its economic feasibility and environmental friendliness. Solar systems provide a high level of energy security through the mix of generation methods, and often will incorporate a storage system (battery, Fuel cell) or small fossil fueled generator to ensure maximum supply reliability and security. The places where there is no supply of electricity from the main grid and the places where there is pretty high load shedding due to irrigation and other reasons are more viable for renewable energy based solar power station. The main purpose of our thesis is to introduce an approach to design a DC-DC boost converter with constant output voltage for grid connected photovoltaic application system. The boost converter is designed to step up a fluctuating solar panel voltage to a higher constant DC voltage. It uses voltage feedback to keep the output voltage constant. To do so, a PID controller is used as the heart of the control system. It tracks and provides pulse-width-modulation signal to control power electronic device in boost converter. The boost converter will be able to direct couple with grid-tied inverter for grid connected photovoltaic system. Simulations were performed to describe the proposed design. Works were carried out with the designed boost converter which has a power rating of 800 W and 200 V output voltage operated in continuous conduction mode at 5 kHz switching frequency.