Design and Development of a New Smart Portable <i>I-V</i> Tracer

Photovoltaic (PV) module performance is primarily characterized by their current-voltage (<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V</i>) measurements. However, the data obtained mostly contains errors. Commercial <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V</i> curve tracking units are generally expensive, hard to transport, slow to respond, and limited at low irradiations. This article proposes a novel <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V</i> tracer (SEPIV) based on an optimized single-ended primary inductance converter. The SEPIV comprises a linear variable dc load connected to the solar panel's output. In this study, the experimental performance of the SEPIV was compared with the outcomes of commercial and lab devices, which are PVPM 1000 C 40 (PVPM) and WAVELABS SINUS-3000 PRO, respectively. SEPIV's accuracy matched lab units and surpassed PVPM's. As a highlight of this study, the introduced setup can capture the <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V</i> curves of PV modules up to 650 W, a maximum <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">V</i><sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">OC</sub> of 60 V, and a maximum <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I</i><sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">SC</sub> of 20 A. In contrast to commercial units, the SEPIV measurement does not depend on irradiation level. Moreover, it has the Internet of Things capability through a Wi-Fi connection for remote measurement.