Sliding Mode Control of a Photovoltaic Water Pumping System ^†

Abstract

This paper aimed to evaluate the performance of a three-phase double-stage photovoltaic water pumping system. Ours is composed of several components. These include a photovoltaic array; a boost DC-DC converter with a maximum power point tracking algorithm based on the Perturb and Observe technique; a three-level neutral-point-clamped inverter, which is controlled using simplified space vector pulse width modulation; and a moto-pump group based on an induction motor and tank. The induction motor is distinguished by its rigidness, reliability and relatively low cost. However, the difficulty of controlling the induction motor is related to the fact that its mathematical model in Park configuration is nonlinear and highly coupled. The regulation of the speed, rotor flux and d-q axis currents of the Field-Oriented Control is achieved through the use of sliding-mode-control-based regulators. To evaluate the performance of the proposed control strategy, simulations were conducted using the Matlab/Simulink platform while considering varying levels of irradiation and temperature. The simulation outcomes conclusively demonstrate that the proposed system control has good performance with regard to dynamic responses, control robustness and power quality, thus affirming its efficacy. A solar water pumping system that uses photovoltaic energy has the potential to be a dependable and effective way to pump water while using sustainable energy sources.