Improving Maximum Power Point Tracking for Photovoltaic System Using Ant Colony Optimization Based PI Controller

Abstract

For improving efficiency of photovoltaic system, this paper proposed a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system using a drift free modified perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm with ant colony optimization (ACO) based proportional integral (PI) controller. The anticipated MPPT system overcomes the disadvantages of conventional P&O and tracks maximum power point (MPP) accurately with no oscillations. The modified P&O algorithm mitigates the drift effect of usual P&O with correct decision making in its algorithm. The ACO based PI controller decreases the steady state error and MPP is achieved after very short transient time. An evaluation is made with different algorithms for proposed MPPT technique using Matlab/Simulink. Simulation results show that MPP is achieved rapidly without drifting and oscillations. Feasibility of the presented system is confirmed with changing irradiance and more energy is captured from PV panel on respective irradiance.