A Fast-Speed GMPPT Method for PV Array Under Gaussian Laser Beam Condition in Wireless Power Transfer Application

The laser power transfer system is one of the most promising systems in the long-range wireless power transfer field. However, the low efficiency at photovoltaic (PV) receiver limits the performance of an implemented system due to the Gaussian laser beam. Since the irradiance profile of the Gaussian laser beam is not uniform, the PV array exhibits complex output characteristics with multiple peaks, leading that the conventional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method is not acceptable either on tracking accuracy or on tracking speed. In this article, a simple and rapid voltage-location global MPPT (VL-GMPPT) method is proposed for PV array under Gaussian laser beam condition (GLBC) in terms of reducing the voltage searching range. In order to do so, the mathematical model of PV array's global maximum power point (GMPP) is developed under GLBC. Then, the VL-GMPPT method incorporates voltage-location mechanism to directly move the operating point to the vicinity of GMPP and employs IncCond method to accurately find the GMPP. The experimental and simulation results are shown to verify the proposed GMPPT method. It was found that the proposed method can reduce 90% of tracking time that is consumed by the conventional global searching method.

Automated summary

In this study, a simple and rapid voltage-location global MPPT method is proposed for PV arrays under Gaussian laser beam conditions, aiming to improve tracking efficiency.