Photovoltaic modified β-parameter-based MPPT method with fast tracking

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is necessary for photovoltaic (PV) power system application to extract the maximum possible power under changing irradiation and temperature conditions. The β-parameter-based method has many advantages over conventional MPPT methods; such advantages include fast tracking speed in the transient stage, small oscillations in the steady state, and moderate implementation complexity. However, a problem in the implementation of the conventional beta method is the choice of an appropriate scaling factor N, which greatly affects both the steady-state and transient performance. Therefore, this paper proposes a modified β-parameter-based method, and the determination of the N is discussed in detail. The study shows that the choice of the scaling factor N is determined by the changes of the value of β during changes in irradiation or temperature. The proposed method can respond accurately and quickly during changes in irradiation or temperature. To verify the proposed method, a photovoltaic power system with MPPT function was built in Matlab/Simulink, and an experimental prototype was constructed with a solar array emulator and dSPACE. Simulation and experimental results are illustrated to show the advantages of the improved β-parameter-based method with the optimized scaling factor.