• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.233-238
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• 2018

This paper proposes a seamless MPPT operation mode transfer method of photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system consists of a DC-DC boost converter, a DC-Link, and a 3-level neutral point clamp (NPC) type inverter. The PV voltage fluctuates due to the output characteristics of the solar pane1 depending on the irradiation amount and the temperature. The photovoltaic system requires seamless MPPT mode transfer method that the discontinuity does not occur in order to supply the stable power to system without affecting the fluctuation of the PV voltage. MPPT operation is divided into two modes by the voltage reference. Under the condition that the PV voltage is below 650V, the DC-DC boost converter performs MPPT through duty control based on perturb & observe (P&O) method, and the inverter conducts DC-link voltage and grid current controls in synchronous reference frame. On the other hand, when the PV voltage exceeds above 650V, inverter performs MPPT in accordance with the variation of DC-link voltage control while the converter stops operating. Two MPPT operation modes is smoothly transferred through the proposed method that DC-link voltage or grid current commands are appropriately adjusted from the certain criteria. The feasibility of the MPPT operation mode transfer method is verified using a 10kW solar photovoltaic system, experimental results have good performances that the fluctuation of PV current is reduced to 100%.