DC-to-DC converter with low input current ripple for maximum photovoltaic power extraction

El Khateb, Ahmad H. and Rahim, Nasrudin Abd and Selvaraj, Jeyraj and Williams, Barry W. (2015) DC-to-DC converter with low input current ripple for maximum photovoltaic power extraction. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 62 (4). pp. 2246-2256. ISSN 0278-0046 (https://doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2014.2383999)

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Abstract

This paper presents a dc-to-dc converter, which offers continuous input and output energy flow, and low input current ripple, applicable and mandatory for photovoltaic arrays, and maximum power point tracking applications. The PV array yields exponential curves for current and voltage where the maximum power occurs at the curve's mutual knee. Conventional dc-to-dc converters have a relatively high input ripple current which causes high power losses when connected to nonlinear sources like PV arrays. The proposed converter operates with low input current ripple which maximizes the power that can be sourced from the PV array, without the need of any electrolytic filtering capacitance. The effect of the ripple current on the PV array can be significant, and decreases the efficiency of the PV system. The proposed converter employs series input inductance with both input and output continuous energy flow. Converter simulations and experimental results support and extol the system concept.