Giovanni Petrone

Università degli Studi di Salerno | UNISA · Department of Information Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics (DIEM)

When connecting a few solar cells in series to create a photovoltaic (PV) module, even the smallest discrepancies between them are enough to create mismatch losses. Sometimes this mismatch is mainly due to the non–uniformity of the operating conditions associated with variations in irradiance or cell temperature. However, even under uniform conditi...

The accuracy of photovoltaic models used to describe the characteristics of photovoltaic panels is crucial to evaluate the performance and to ensure safety, cost-effectiveness and compliance of photovoltaic systems. In particular, when the parameters for static and dynamic models are optimized independently, it has been shown that they might be not...

The development of a battery monitoring system is one of main tasks for applications needing an efficient and well-designed battery storage system. In this framework, a fast, on-board, non-invasive and low-cost diagnosis system has a primary importance. Among the large number of diagnosis techniques, the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS)...

This paper reviews the current techniques used in energy management systems to optimize energy schedules into microgrids, accounting for uncertainties for various time frames (day-ahead and real-time operations). The current uncertainties affecting applications, including residential, commercial, virtual power plants, electric mobility, and multi-c...

This paper proposes an energy management system (EMS) for a photovoltaic (PV) grid-connected charging station with a battery energy storage system (BESS). The main objective of this EMS is to manage the energy delivered to the electric vehicle (EV), considering the price and CO2 emissions due to the grid’s connection. Thus, we present a multi-objec...

This work is aimed at detecting degradation phenomena on photovoltaic (PV) panels working under real outdoor conditions by using the impedance spectroscopy technique. The impedance is measured by leaving the PV panel in the real-operative status corresponding to the maximum power point without altering its power production. Since variations on the...

The performance of four thin-film photovoltaic modules is analyzed after an initial stabilization period and a subsequent outdoor exposition. The seasonal variations and the degradation rates of a single-junction hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) module, a tandem amorphous microcrystalline Silicon (a-Si/μc-Si) module, a heterostructure cadmiu...

This paper proposes an Explicit Model Predictive Control (eMPC) for the energy management of an e-vehicle charging station fueled by a photovoltaic plant (PV), a battery energy storage system (BESS), and the electrical grid. The method computes offline an explicit solution of the MPC, which is stored and then used for real time control. Multiparame...

The degradation of two amorphous silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) modules, namely, of single junction amorphous silicon (a-Si) and of micromorph tandem (a-Si/𝜇-Si), after 11 years of exposure in the south of Spain is analyzed. Their I-V curves were measured outdoors to study the changes of the electrical parameters in the course of three different p...

The DC-link capacitor is one of the components that are more prone to faults in energy-distributed systems based on voltage source inverters. A predictive maintenance approach should allow to foresee the risk of an unexpected system shutdown. In this study, a two-stage diagnostic approach that is aimed at determining the health status of the DC-lin...

In this paper, an artificial neural network (ANN) is used for isolating faults and degradation phenomena occurring in photovoltaic (PV) panels. In the literature, it is well known that the values of the single diode model (SDM) associated to the PV source are strictly related to degradation phenomena and their variation is an indicator of panel deg...

In this paper, the results of the analysis of the degradation of a set of single‐crystalline silicon modules after 21 years are presented. The comparison of the main electrical parameters and the series and of the shunt resistances measured in 1996 and 2017 is performed, so that the annual degradation rate is evaluated. In addition, a detailed anal...

The paper proposes an innovative power-sharing model, i.e., a power-system architecture for aggregation of users able to share the power produced by common generators and energy services. The model is suitable for both multi-tenant buildings and groups of multiple buildings and it is applicable for both existing and new buildings. It is scalable fo...

The single–diode model is widely used for the analysis of photovoltaic systems and reproducing accurately the I–V curve. Numerical or analytical methods can be employed to estimate the model parameters; among them explicit methods are well assessed providing precise results and low computational complexity, thus suitable to be developed on embedded...

This Letter describes a method to quantify online and in real‐time, the level of degrading of the series parasitic resistance R s of a photovoltaic (PV) panel. This method aims to obtain the herein proposed M ‐factor, which results from the calculation of the slopes of the I–V curve in the boundaries of its maximum power‐point. For this purpose, th...

In this paper a comparison of some explicit methods, used for parameters identification of the photovoltaic single-diode model, has been carried out. The analysis is aimed at understanding the level of reliability of the methods when applied for photovoltaic model-based diagnostic functionalities. The study is focused on the series resistance varia...

Model parameters identification plays an important role in enhancing the currently available diagnosis techniques for fuel cells (e.g. electrochemical impedance spectroscopy). In this work, the dual Kalman filter (DKF) has been used for the parametric identification of a Randles circuit model. The fuel cell has been stimulated with typical EIS inpu...

This paper proposes a new control algorithm that improves the dynamic performance in distributed maximum power point tracking systems. Systems with these architectures allow to increase the photovoltaic power harvested in case of partial shading and irradiance mismatch. The classical approach adopts distributed DC/DC power electronics and control w...

Photovoltaic energy harvest in distributed maximum power point tracking systems has demonstrated to be superior to the traditional photovoltaic systems under mismatch conditions. The distributed architecture usually consists of series-connected DC/DC converters forming a string, dedicated to process the power of individual photovoltaic panels. Howe...

In this paper, an interval arithmetic-based method for parameters identification of a fuel cell equivalent circuit is presented. The fuel cell experimental impedance spectrum, acquired through the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), is identified using interval-valued parameters of the fuel cell Fouquet model. The method is based on a bra...

This book collects a selection of papers presented at ELECTRIMACS 2019, the 13th international conference of the IMACS TC1 Committee, held in Salerno, Italy, on 21st-23rd May 2019. The conference papers deal with modelling, simulation, analysis, control, power management, design optimization, identification and diagnostics in electrical power engin...

This book collects a selection of papers presented at ELECTRIMACS 2019 - The 13th international conference of the IMACS TC1 Committee, held in Salerno, Italy, on 21st-23rd May 2019. The conference papers deal with modelling, simulation, analysis, control, power management, design optimization, identification and diagnostics in electrical power engi...

Online/on-board diagnosis would help to improve fuel cell system durability and output power. Therefore, it is a feature the manufacturers may wish to provide for final users to increase the attractiveness of their product. This add-on requires suitable stack models, parametric identification tools and diagnostic algorithms to be run on low-cost em...

In this paper, the Dual Kalman Filter (DKF) is used for the parametric identification of an RC model of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (FC) stack. The identification is performed for diagnostic purposes, starting from time-domain voltage and current signals in the framework of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) tests. Here, the...

Photovoltaic energy harvest in distributed maximum power point tracking systems has demonstrated to be superior to the traditional photovoltaic systems under mismatch conditions. The distributed architecture usually consists of series-connected DC/DC converters forming a string, dedicated to process the power of individual photovoltaic panels. Howe...

In this paper, the identification of the equivalent circuit parameters of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is performed for diagnostic and monitoring purposes. An interval arithmetic branch and bound method is developed for the identification of parameters of the Fouquet model, frequently used for fuel cell modeling in the frequency domain. Th...

The dynamic reconfiguration of photovoltaic arrays is a promising technique for reducing the power drops due to partial shadowing. Some approaches for determining the optimal electrical configuration of the photovoltaic array have been presented in literature. The most encouraging solution is based on the use of stochastic algorithms that can be fr...

Photovoltaic (PV) arrays can be connected following regular or irregular connection patterns to form regular configurations (e.g., series-parallel, total cross-tied, bridge-linked, etc.) or irregular configurations, respectively. Several reportedworks proposemodels for a single configuration; hence, making the evaluation of arrays with different co...

Photovoltaic (PV) arrays are usually formed by strings of panels connected in parallel creating the series-parallel (SP) configuration. Additional connections can be implemented among the strings of the SP configuration to mitigate a particular mismatching profile. Those connections may follow regular or irregular patterns to form regular configura...

In this paper, an efficient method for the online identification of the photovoltaic single-diode model parameters is proposed. The combination of a genetic algorithm with explicit equations allows obtaining precise results without the direct measurement of short circuit current and open circuit voltage that is typically used in offline identificat...

Recent literature proposes some approaches that employ explicit equations for identifying the five parameters of the single-diode model describing a photovoltaic (PV) panel. These methods avoid the iterative solution of a nonlinear system of equations, whose convergence is very sensitive to the guess solution. Therefore, they are particularly suita...

This paper discusses the losses analysis of low power high-frequency Wireless Power Transfer Systems (WPTSs). Ideal models for efficiency evaluation of WPTS can predict performances that are quite far from the real ones. The model proposed in this paper includes semiconductor devices losses, as well as modulation of duty-cycle and phase for the sec...

This chapter introduces the two main circuit photovoltaic (PV) models used in the literature: the single-diode and the double-diode models. The first set of models aims to describe the functional current-voltage relationship at the PV terminals on the basis of the equivalent electrical circuit of the PV source. The second set is aimed at performing...

The five-parameter model is a tool for simulating the photovoltaic (PV) field. There are many approaches to identifying the values of the set of parameters (Iph, Is, q, Rs, and Rh) that guarantee that the equivalent electrical circuit matches the current-voltage (I-V) curve. The single-diode model (SDM) is able to accurately represent the PV electr...

When the photovoltaic (PV) string is simulated at a module level, it is assumed that the irradiation level received by all the cells in the module is the same, and also that those cells are perfectly equal in terms of parameters. Unfortunately, PV string modeling level does not allow the reverse behavior of the cells to be examined, it is perhaps t...

This chapter presents design procedures for linear and non-linear control techniques aimed at improving the performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. It also presents the general structure of a classical closed-loop module integrated unit (MIU), where a voltage controller regulates the DC/DC converter to follow a reference signal imposed by a maxim...

The design of any photovoltaic (PV) system is based on an awareness of the phenomena that might lead a decrease in plant power production, in real conditions, over its whole lifetime. Mismatching is one of the main sources of power reductions in a PV system's lifetime. The literature describes the closed loop existing between mismatching and cell a...

The single-diode model (SDM) is a good compromise between precision and complexity, so this chapter focuses on the identification of the values of some of the parameters in this model for given working conditions. In general, parameter identification requires the solution of a system of non-linear equations and different numerical methods have been...

This chapter presents an approach that can be implemented in any simulation environment, including power-electronics simulation software such as PSIM, in which the user can take advantage of the functional blocks or the definition of new devices through a dynamic linked library. This approach gives a clear advantage, especially in terms of simulati...

The DC/DC converter influences the system performance through three effects. The first effect is related to the efficiency and voltage-conversion ratio of the DC/DC converter. The second effect is the high-frequency ripple produced by the switching operation of the DC/DC converter at the source terminals. The third effect is related to the low-freq...

A zero-current switching full-bridge isolated DC/DC converter based on a semi-resonant L-C cell has been developed in this paper. With respect to the classical fullbridge configuration no additional switches are required thus by preserving its simplicity and robustness. The proposed architecture allows achieving zero current switching at both prima...

Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) systems complemented with dedicated power electronic interfaces are a promising technology for storing energy in smart-grid applications in which the intermittent power produced by renewable sources must face the dynamics of requests and economical parameters. In this article, we review the vanadium-based technolo...

Dynamical reconfiguration is receiving attention from the scientific community because of the advantages it can ensure with respect to module-dedicated electronics when partial shadowing of the photovoltaic field occurs. Indeed, lower cost and conversion losses as well as improved diagnostic capabilities make this solution of high interest for indu...

Multilevel inverters supplied by independent sources are increasingly studied to connect these sources to grid. One of the challenges is voltage balancing. Indeed, when supplying powers coming from renewable sources are different, the inverter input voltages are unbalanced. In this paper, a stable DC bus voltage balancing technique without modifyin...

When the panels in a photovoltaic (PV) array are subjected to a nonuniform irradiance level, some bypass diodes may turn ON, and the overall power production might be affected significantly. An increase of the power delivered by the whole array might be obtained by means of its electrical reconfiguration, that is, the change of the series–parallel...

This paper discusses the losses analysis of low power high-frequency Wireless Power Transfer Systems (WPTSs). The global influence of semiconductor devices parameters on the overall WPTS performances is numerically determined, by solving the non linear equations of the system discussed herein. Experimental measurements on a 2W@6.78MHz WPTS for wear...

A voltage Balancing Control (BC) for the input voltage of a 3-level Neutral Point Clamped (3L-NPC) inverter is proposed. For renewable energy injection to AC grid, two independent sources are connected to the 3L-NPC via boost converters. The proposed BC allows independent MPPT for each source in a Distributed-MPPT (DMPPT). It is well known that the...

Recently a new zero-current switching full-bridge isolated DC/DC converter has been presented in literature. A semi-resonant L-C cell without any additional switch allows to achieve the soft-switching conditions. The main benefits of the proposed architecture, which are the zero current switching at both primary and secondary side and the very good...

One Cycle control is a technique matching many features that are typical of the linear control methods with some others that characterise high performances non-linear control approaches. Indeed, it ensures a constant switching frequency with a high promptness and noise rejection. The One Cycle control technique has recently found applications in ma...

The long power production warranties guaranteed by the manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) modules (25 years) are a vital factor for the economical viability of PV systems. Nevertheless, recent studies have demonstrated that the modules may experience an early degradation, which turns into the reduction of the power production or even the damage of...

In this paper the identification of the single-diode model of photovoltaic (PV) generators operating in outdoor conditions has been carried out. The non-linear equation system, describing the PV source in five operating points, is re-written as an optimization problem and it is solved by using a genetic algorithm. The parameters of the single-diode...

Contactless charging systems are becoming the most convenient and safest way to refill Electric Vehicles (EVs) batteries. Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) has been successfully adopted in EVs high power applications to efficiently deliver energy over a relatively large air gap. In order to predict the realistic performance of an EV wireless charger, t...

In this paper, the use of the Dual Kalman Filter for the identification of photovoltaic system parameters is presented. The system includes the photovoltaic source, the DC/DC converter and the battery/DC bus and both its states and parameters in the actual operating conditions are identified. In particular, the proposed approach gives the confidenc...

The way of implementing an adaptive maximum power point tracking algorithm for photovoltaic applications in a Field Programmable Gate Array is described in this paper. A dual Kalman filter allows estimating the settling time of the whole system, including the PV source and the dc/dc converter controlling the operating point thereof, so that the tra...

In this paper a new zero-current switching full-bridge isolated DC/DC converter topology is introduced. The soft-switching conditions are obtained by using a semi-resonant L-C cell. No additional switches are required to control the resonant cell, thus the simplicity of the full-bridge architecture has been preserved. The main benefits of the propo...

This paper discusses the effect of Constant Power Loads (CPLs) on the stability of a Smart Transformer (ST). The main characteristic of a CPL is that its current decreases when its voltage increases and vice versa. Therefore, in small signal analysis a CPL behaves as a negative impedance, and as a consequence it can impact the system stability. The...

This paper discusses models and methods for the analysis of PV systems with Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (DMPPT). An Energy Productivity Analysis Algorithm (EPAA) is discussed, integrating models and algorithms from component level to system level, allowing the analysis of PV systems operating in partial shading and electrical mismatche...

In this paper a direct method to estimate maximum power points (MPPs) in PV arrays subjected to mismatching conditions is presented. The method uses the lossless single-diode model (SDM) which is parameterized using the data of inflection and maximum power points of each panel. The reconstruction of power vs. voltage curve is obtained by one explic...

The suitable identification of the five parameters for the single-diode model of a photovoltaic module is mandatory for having a correct simulation of the module behavior, at least in STC conditions. This process is afforded in literature by means of a number of fitting procedures, but many studies report difficulties in identifying the series and...

Geostatistical approaches are commonly used in many disciplines, but they can be also useful also in identifying the operating conditions of a photovoltaic field, especially when solar irradiance hits differently its modules or when partial shading occurs. Despite some applications has been presented in literature, different aspects related to the...

The single-diode model, which is widely used for describing the behaviour of the photovoltaic crystalline and multi-crystalline cells, requires to be properly adapted for reproducing the electrical behaviour of amorphous thin film silicon cells. As for the former case, five parameters must be identified for having a good fitting with respect to the...

The recognition of the main features shown by a photovoltaic module through its current vs. voltage curve is of main interest in many applications, e.g. diagnosis and dynamical reconfiguration. Indeed, the automatic detection of the fact that it works in mismatched conditions, or some data directly related to its health conditions would be very use...

One of the most important characteristics of the photovoltaic (PV) modules is their long lifetime (around 25 years). However, recent investigations have shown that PV modules may suffer significant degradation before that time; that is why the development of diagnostic techniques is important for the customers of PV systems. In this paper two indic...

The power vs. voltage curve of a photovoltaic string operating under mismatched conditions can exhibit more than one maximum power point (MPP). In this paper, a direct method for the estimation of these points using explicit equations is introduced. The method employs a piecewise linear approximation of the current vs. voltage curve of each photovo...

In the last five years, the desire to improve the control of photovoltaic (PV) arrays working in mismatched conditions has stimulated substantial research and development. Recent research has revived the previously discounted idea of changing the electrical connection between the PV modules according to their operating conditions and load requests....

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are one of the main actors in distributed power generation. In particular, in urban contexts, the PV generators can be subjected to mismatching phenomena due to the different orientation of the modules with respect to the sun rays or due to shadowing. In these cases, the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) function must be...

The maximum power point (MPP) tracking function allows one to extract the maximum power from the photovoltaic (PV) system in any operating condition. The perturb and observe technique is one of the mainly used algorithms aimed at this function. Its performances depend on the values of the two design parameters, which are the amplitude and the frequ...

The present invention relates to a method, implementing a specific algorithm, to decimate or select a reduced number of samples that are necessary to describe the development of a characteristic curve of at least one power supply module, starting from a series of samples obtained by means of measurements or by means of simulations.

The present invention relates to a method to evaluate the need to perform a reconfiguration step to reconfigure the electric connection between two or more photovoltaic panels that are electrically connected to one another so as to form a photovoltaic park, in order to obtain the maximum power production from said panels, even in the presence of da...

This paper discusses an adaptive Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control involving minimum computing effort, suitable for implementation with low cost microcontrollers. The runtime multiple optimal setup of the Perturb&Observe MPPT algorithm, is achieved by exploiting the correlation existing among the MPPT efficiency and the onset of a pe...