NEW TEST PROCEDURE TO EVALUATE BATTERY CHARGE CONTROLLER USED IN STAND-ALONE PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEMS

摘要

Stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) systems generally depend on battery storage to supply power to the load when there is deficit in the solar resource. However, reliable operation of the load is not only dependent on battery performance but on the battery management strategy. An unsatisfactory service is not only due to an inappropriate battery selection but to a poor and inadequate battery management too. In this way, this work intends to develop a new battery & charge regulator test procedure to evaluate the suitability and compatibility of these elements for a particular SAPV application. This new test procedure can be used while the design phase is under study, to assess the battery and charge controller performance. Furthermore, it is intended that this new test procedure should manage a trade-off between reliability and simplicity.