Fuzzy Logic Controller to Improve Photovoltaic Water Pumping System Performance

Abstract

Electricity generated by the national grid may not reach certain remote areas; as a result, solar energy sources become critical especially in developing countries, where they can be used for lighting as well as for irrigation and water pumping systems. The electrical power produced by a photovoltaic generator (PVG) is highly dependent on solar radiation and to a lesser degree of temperature, but also on the load at its terminals and the overall aging of the system. For these reasons, the PVG can only provide maximum power for a particular voltage and a specific current. In order to better adapt to the variation of solar radiation, most control systems use algorithms for tracking the optimal operating point.In this paper, we present an application of an intelligent fuzzy logic controller (FLC) approach to improve the performance of a photovoltaic water pump system driven by an induction motor (IM). The simulation results show that optimization with the FLC has improved the efficiency of the overall system, thus the amount of water pumped per day.