| dc.description.abstract | This project focuses on the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of a solar power system equipped with a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller based on the Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm. A boost converter is a type of DC-DC converter that functions to step up the input voltage to a higher output voltage. In solar power systems, the boost converter is combined with the MPPT algorithm to optimize the power generated by the photovoltaic (PV) panel. The MPPT plays an important role in tracking the maximum power point of the PV panel based on variations in voltage and current affected by solar irradiance and temperature. Thus, the integration of a boost converter with MPPT can produce a stable output voltage and improve the efficiency of solar energy utilization.
To monitor and evaluate the system performance, two INA219 current and voltage sensors are employed-one at the MPPT input side and the other at the output side. The controller is designed to regulate the output voltage at 14.4 V, making it suitable for charging lead-acid batteries. All important data, such as input voltage, output voltage, and harvested energy, are recorded on a Micro SD card for further analysis. As a comparative study, a simulation model of the system is also developed in MATLAB/Simulink to validate the hardware testing results. Experimental results show that the self-developed MPPT using the P&O algorithm achieves approximately 93% accuracy compared to the Simulink simulation results. This demonstrates that the proposed design is effective, low-cost, and practical for small-scale renewable energy applications, particularly in off-grid battery charging systems. | en_US |
