Design and Development of Microcontroller based MPPT Solar Charge Controller

Abstract

In the present world there is a lot of increase in energy demand. Solar energy is the best option for electricity generation because it is free and available everywhere. Solar energy is mainly generates through the solar photovoltaic module. Maximum power point tracking is a technique uses for extracting the maximum power from the Solar photovoltaic module (SPV).MPPT algorithms is used for achieving maximum power point. Microcontroller key function is to control MPPT algorithm. MPPT in photovoltaic system is used to maximize the photovoltaic array output power. Perturb & Observe method will be used to operate the PV system at maximum power point. The Perturb & Observe method tracks Maximum power point (MPP) steadily and calculate the operating point at which battery is capable to produce maximum power. New MPPT system is developed consisting of buck converter and two MOSFETS. The Synhronous buck converter is a buck converter in which maximum efficiency is obtained and also MPPT can be done. In this project, Synchronous buck converter topology has been developed. This topology uses soft switching technique to reduce the switching losses which is found prominently in the conventional buck converter, thus efficiency of the system is improved and the heating of MOSFETs due to switching losses reduces.