A new control system prototype for the energy production maximization of a unequally irradiated PV system

This paper deals with the mismatch effect due to a unequally irradiation on a PV (PhotoVoltaic) system. The mismatch effect due to the partial shading of a PV module can be limited thanks to the installation of both bypass and block diodes. Unfortunately, this solution cannot fully solve the disvantages related to the mismatch effect. The Authors, in previous papers [1, 2], have theoretically demonstrated that the mismatch effect can be solved by changing the parallel/series connections of the modules of a PV system, taking into account each module radiating condition. This paper represents a first step of the experimental development of the above mentioned theoretical result. Specifically, the energy production maximization of the unequally irradiated PV system is obtained thanks to a Labview FPGA reconfiguration controller, designed by the Authors. This controller is able to detect the voltage values of all the modules and consequently to take the decision whether to change the connections of the modules or not in order to maximize the energy production of the PV system. This change of the connections is physically carried out by some commutation systems to which the FPGA electronic controller send the commutation pulses. The designed reconfiguration controller could be manufactured on a large scale and in a short time economically amortized thanks to the economical benefits related to the increase of the electric energy production.