Performance enhancement of partially shaded solar PV array using novel shade dispersion technique

Solar photo voltaic array (SPVA) generates a smaller amount of power than the standard rating of the panel due to the partial shading effect. Since the modules of the arrays receive different solar irradiations, the P-V characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) arrays contain multiple peaks or local peaks. This paper presents an innovative method (magic square) in order to increase the generated power by configuring the modules of a shaded photovoltaic array. In this approach, the physical location of the modules in the total cross tied (TCT) connected in the solar PV array is rearranged based on the magic square arrangement pattern. This connection is done without altering any electrical configurations of the modules in the PV array. This method can distribute the shading effect over the entire PV array, without concentrating on any row of modules and can achieve global peaks. For different types of shading patterns, the output power of the solar PV array with the proposed magic square configuration is compared with the traditional configurations and the performance is calculated. This paper presents a new reconfiguration technique for solar PV arrays, which increases the PV power under different shading conditions. The proposed technique facilitates the distribution of the effect of shading over the entire array, thereby, reducing the mismatch losses caused by partial shading. The theoretical calculations are tested through simulations in Matlab/Simulink to validate the results. A comparison of power loss for different types of topologies under different types of shading patterns for a 4 x 4 array is also explained.