A novel fuzzy logic control technique tuned by particle swarm optimization for maximum power point tracking for a photovoltaic system using a current-mode boost converter with bifurcation control

This paper presents a novel fuzzy logic control technique tuned by particle swarm optimization (PSO-FLC) for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for a photovoltaic (PV) system. The proposed PV system composes of a current-mode boost converter (CMBC) with bifurcation control. An optimal slope compensation technique is used in the CMBC to keep the system adequately remote from the first bifurcation point in spite of nonlinear characteristics and instabilities of this converter. The proposed PSO technique allows easy and more accurate tuning of FLC compared with the trial-and-error based tuning. Consequently, the proposed PSO-FLC method provides faster tracking of maximum power point (MPP) under varying light intensities and temperature conditions. The proposed MPPT technique is simple and particularly suitable for PV system equipped with CMBC. Experimental results are shown to confirm superiority of the proposed technique comparing with the conventional PVVC technique and the trial-and-error based tuning FLC.