Comparative research of efficiency of photovoltaic power systems

The article gives results of the development of the system of monitoring for photovoltaic power installations with different configuration to study the factors, increasing their productivity. Differentiation of impact, made by the components of different structure of photovoltaic power installations is made by application of three independent controlled channels of energy extraction from photovoltaic panels: fixed focused, with application of solar tracker and with application of solar tracker, having flat mirror concentrators. To secure originality of the record of the electric energy, produced by photovoltaic panels, we have developed unit of control for discharging current of battery banks in each channel. It supports equal level of their charge. Amount of the produced electric energy in each channel is estimated by the value of discharge. Control and measuring system is made on the base of virtual devices with hardware unit of input/output of NI USB-6009 type, produced by National Instruments Company, with software LabVIEW. In the research, software code of the system of monitoring and front panel of operator have been developed. The work provides photos of the developed experimental stand.