Neighboring-Pixel-Based Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithm for Partially Shaded Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

In this paper, a neighboring-pixel-based virtual imaging (NPBVI) technique is developed to comprehensively detect the shading conditions on PV arrays. The proposed VI technique is then merged with a probabilistic mechanism of shaded module currents. Finally, a mathematical model is presented, which predicts the current voltage (I-V) region corresponding to the global maximum (GM) of the shaded PV array. The effectiveness of the proposed NPBVI MPPT is validated through numerous experiments that were carried out using a hardware prototype with a 150 W power rating. For the experiments, a PV array consisting of 3 x 2 (N-p x N-s) 20 W PV modules was utilized. The experiments showcase agreement that the proposed method successfully identified the GM region of a partially shaded PV array.