Dual mechatronic MPPT controllers with PN and OPSO control algorithms for the rotatable solar panel in PHEV system

This paper aims at increasing the efficiency of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) by using rotatable solar panel. Conventionally, the PHEV with solar panel has a critical problem of putting on the roof of a PHEV. Since the limited space on the roof of the vehicle is not large enough, rotatable structure is considered to track the sunlight by mechanical petri-net (PN)-based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control. A stepping motor is used to control the rotating angle of the rotating solar panel. In addition, the electric MPPT with orthogonal particle swarm optimization (OPSO) method is also included. With the dual mechatronic MPPT with PN $+$OPSO control algorithms, the maximum power in a limited roof space of the vehicle is possible. The solar panel has not to be very large. This will increase the efficiency of the PHEV. It is convinced that the proposed dual mechatronic PN$+$ OPSO MPPT controllers are helpful to the PHEV system.