Title

Battery Charge Controller Characteristics in Photovoltaic Systems

Abstract

Stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems are becoming increasingly viable and cost-effective for remote and/or off-utility grid power requirements. Thousands of PV systems are being installed annually in the United States and abroad with typical applications including lighting, telecommunications, and other battery charging requirements. In general, a standalone PV system consists of a PV array, which converts sunlight to direct-current electricity, energy storage in the form of secondary batteries, loads or appliances, and a control system, which regulates battery charging and operation of the load. While PV module development over the past decade has resulted in a highly reliable product, the performance of battery and charge controller sub-systems have indicated a need for improvement. These deficient areas include proper specification of charging requirements and control set points for the battery type and environment. A better understanding of how batteries (less than 220 Ah) operate in PV systems is essential for the success of this market. Specifications applicable to the low charge/discharge rates typical in PV systems need to be published in the battery technical literature.This paper presents typical strategies for battery charge regulation and load control used in stand alone PV systems. Several charge algorithms (methods of controlling current to the battery) are presented, along with terminology used by the PV industry for battery charge controllers. Information gained from an extensive evaluation of commercially available charge controllers is discussed along with data collected from tests on PV systems in the field. Finally, an overview of battery performance characteristics needed for the successful design and long-term operation of PV systems is presented with the. © 1992 IEEE

Publication Date

1-1-1992

Publication Title

IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine

Volume

7

Issue

8

Number of Pages

15-21

Document Type

Article

Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1109/62.151141

Socpus ID

0026901313 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0026901313

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