Dynamic Reconfiguration Scheme of PV Arrays to Achieve Stable Output Voltage under Partial Shading Conditions

Photovoltaic (PV) arrays are widely recognized as a significant source of clean and renewable electricity. However, they are susceptible to unavoidable non-uniform partial shading (PS) caused by factors such as clouds, buildings, and dust. PS leads to issues like hot spots, mismatch losses, and degradation of output power. Dynamic reconfiguration is a commonly used method to mitigate the effects of PS, where the interconnection of PV panels is modified based on shading conditions to maximize output. Dynamic reconfiguration techniques typically involve the use of sensors, programmable controllers, and switch matrices to achieve optimal operation. However, these approaches often suffer from system complexity and scalability limitations. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an automatic dynamic reconfiguration scheme that leverages the irradiation activity of PV panels to control their interconnection. A modular building block is introduced. These building blocks enable hierarchical interconnection of PV arrays, eliminating the need for a programmable microcontroller and associated circuitry, thus reducing complexity and cost. Furthermore, the hierarchical design facilitates easy scaling and expansion of the system. The effectiveness of the proposed reconfiguration scheme has been verified through both simulation and analytic results.