A neural network controller for maximum power point tracking with 8-bit microcontroller

This paper presents the implementation of a neural network controller (NNC) for maximum power point tracking (MPPT). A fuzzy logic controller (FLC) with three fuzzy sets is designed and its look-up control table is used to train a 3-layer feed-forward neural network. The MPPT controllers are implemented with an 8-bit microcontroller, PIC16F877A, and tested on a power source which comprises a voltage source and a series resistor. Experimental results show that the implemented NNC can stably extract the maximum power. The performance of the NNC approximates to the performance of the real-time FLC and the lookup table FLC. The RAM used in the NNC is less than the RAM used in the real-time FLC. And, the ROM used in the NNC is less than the ROM used in the lookup table FLC.