Total-Cross-Tied photovoltaic arrays with irregular configuration: a model

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are extensively used in urban environments to produce electricity. Those PV installations are designed to take profit from unused spaces such as rooftops, where many other devices are installed (antenna, chimney, etc.), thus the available space is not regular. Therefore, a mathematical model must be designed to take into account those irregularities in the PV configuration. This paper introduces a new model for those irregular PV installations, which uses an implicit formulation of the current-voltage characteristic of the modules, thus avoiding costly mathematical computations like the lambert-W function to reduce the calculation time. The model is based on an equation system formulated from the circuital relations of the total cross tied structure, which is a suitable candidate for irregular PV installations. Finally, the model is validated using a realistic PV installation based on commercial PV modules.