Photovoltaic Energy Harvesting Circuit For Power Devices

Abstract

As an ideal solution to the great energy crisis that exists, a Photo Voltaic (PV) energy system is becoming more popular by the day, especially since the economic consequences for such solution are improving every day. Replacing conventional sources would require such systems to be highly efficient and user friendly. Proper functioning and practical application of this system requires precise control over voltage and current to deliver energy without affecting the mobile device. A solar based mobile charger is one such system which is used to recharge modern day smartphones. In this project, we have designed and developed a prototype of a Photo-Voltaic energy harvesting mobile charger which comprises of a Buck converter which is used to synthesize and modulate the DC power harvested from the PV module to suit the specific load requirements of a mobile phone. The system also consists of a controller which uses LM 2575 to charge the battery optimally. Proposed system is first simulated in the MATLAB-Simulink and then practically implemented to verify the theoretical results. The buck converter’s open loop control is achieved through ICs.