Design of a Fuzzy Logic-based MPPT Controller for a PV System Employing Sensorless Control of MRAS-based PMSM

The permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) are widely employed in industrial, robotic, water pumping and HVAC applications due to their numerous benefits such as small size, high-energy efficiency, high performance, low inertia and the ability to operate in full load at low speeds. In case the PMSM drive system is supplied from photovoltaic (PV) modules, it can be a perfect match for water pumping or HVAC applications. In such a system, in order to extract full energy from PV modules, a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm must be employed. This article presents a PV system-fed PMSM drive system with sensorless speed control. The proposed system consists of two main parts. The first part deals with MPPT algorithm based on fuzzy logic controller and the second part deals with PMSM drive system with a sensorless speed estimator by using Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS) approach to eliminate the use of an encoder. The operation of PMSM is accomplished by using the vector control method to obtain a similar dynamic of the DC motor. The overall system is modelled in Matlab/Simulink environment and simulation results are collected under various operating conditions.