Influence of pumping head, insolation and PV array size on PV water pumping system performance

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 80; no. 1; pp. 51 - 64
• Main Authors: Odeh, I., Yohanis, Y.G., Norton, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2006; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cost of unit water; Efficiency; Energy; Equipments, installations and applications; Exact sciences and technology; Natural energy; Performance ratio; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Pumping head; PV water pumping; Simulation; Solar energy; TRNSYS; Jordan; Asia; Jordan (country); TRNSYS; Simulation; Efficiency; Pumping head; PV water pumping; Cost of unit water; Performance ratio; Insolation; Performance characteristic; Photovoltaic system; Water pumps; Operating conditions; Transients; Case study; System performance; Life cycle cost; Field study
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2005.07.009

A transient simulation model, using TRNSYS, for AC photovoltaic (PV) water pumping systems is developed and validated against laboratory and field data. Simulations and analysis were undertaken in this work to: (i) discern the influence of mismatch of pump characteristics and well system characteristics on system performance; (ii) obtain average efficiencies and average performance ratios for system, subsystem and PV array over any period of time and under different operating conditions; (iii) analyze the effect of insolation frequency distribution on system performance and (iv) determining the optimum PV array size considering life cycle cost analyses. Simulation and analyses are illustrated using a real case study and utilizing real field data obtained from a system installed in Jordan.