Photovoltaic Power Optimizer Based on High-Efficiency Reconfigurable Partial Power Converter

A Photovoltaic (PV) power optimizer is a solution known to improve the energy yield of PV systems. In this paper, a reconfigurable partial power converter (R-PPC) is presented and validated. The proposed R-PPC features dual operating modes: type I PPC for step-up operation and type II PPC for step-down operation. By combining both operation modes, the converter achieves higher partiality and a wider operating range compared to conventional designs. Furthermore, the proposed R-PPC only requires unidirectional power and manages solely unipolar voltages, allowing high performance. Experimental tests performed on a laboratory prototype show the correct operation of the converter with high efficiency up to 98.6%. Dynamic validation of the proposed R-PPC used as a PV power optimizer is also provided, demonstrating the correct behavior of the system and, therefore, validating the interest of the proposed structure for the PV power optimizer.