Maximum Power Point Tracking For Solar Harvesting Using Industry Implementation Of Perturb And Observe with Integrated Circuits

This project is not a new idea or an innovative method, this project consists in the implementation of techniques already used in the consumer industry.

The purpose of this project is to implement a compact and low-weight Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Solar Harvesting Device intended for a small fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. For the aircraft selected, the load could be subsidized up to 25% by the MPPT device and installed solar cells.

The MPPT device was designed around the Texas Instruments SM72445 Integrated Circuit and its technical documentation. The prototype was evaluated using a Photovoltaic Profile Emulator Power Supply and a LiPo battery.

The device performed MPPT in one of the different tested current-voltage (IV) profiles reaching Maximum Power Point (MPP).  The device did not maintain the MPP. Under an additional external DC load or different IV profiles, the emulator operates in prohibited operating conditions. The probable cause of the failed behavior is due to instability in the emulator’s output. The inputs to the controller and response behaviors of the H-bridge circuit were as expected and designed.