Avaliação teórica experimental de sistemas fotovoltaicos de bombeamento de água

Abstract

The photovoltaic pumping system represents a sustainable solution to provide access to potable water in remote communities of the Amazon region, whether for human consumption or agricultural irrigation, in areas with limitations in electrical supply from the local utility company. A central component of this system is the motor pump, responsible for suctioning the fluid and conveying it through a piping system to the desired destination and is often associated with a power conditioning device. This device acts as a converter from direct current to alternating current and may incorporate a mechanism for tracking the maximum power point of the photovoltaic generator. However, in photovoltaic systems, it is common for the motor pump to operate at frequencies below the nominal, resulting in lower efficiency compared to situations where energy supply is constant from the local electrical grid. Therefore, this study proposes an approach based on theoretical equations of the system components, aiming to predict an optimized operating point for the pump, considering factors affecting the performance of the photovoltaic generator, such as solar irradiance and temperature. To achieve this, the laboratory of the Study and Development of Alternative Energy Group has a test bench for simulating manometric heights. This was employed in this study to compare the performance of three photovoltaic pumping systems with simulations conducted in a MATLAB program, developed in a doctoral thesis defended in the Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of Pará. The results highlighted the effectiveness of the methodology in identifying an optimal efficiency point for these systems, suggesting its applicability in specific types of pumping systems. Although in some situations, real-world operation showed discrepancies compared to predictions, overall, this model proved to be valuable for guiding projects aimed at implementing photovoltaic pumping systems in specific wells with enhanced energy efficiency.