Configuration optimization of PV array for stratospheric airship under nonuniform radiation condition

•The coupled PV array layout, radiation, electrical, energy balance model is established.•The deployment of PV packs is analyzed.•Three maximum power point tracking configurations for the PV array are investigated in detail.•The results indicate that mounting PV pack in axial series leads to higher power output, PV packs exhibit lager power difference along circumferential direction, the PV array under PDMPPT configuration need much fewer modules and only 0.4 % daily energy less than DMPPT configuration. The nonuniform solar irradiation on the stratospheric airship surface leads to overlooked mismatch losses in photovoltaic (PV) array. Proper configuration for PV array is crucial but frequently neglected in airship energy system research. In this paper, a mathematical model coupled with the layout of PV array on airship surface, radiation model, electrical model and energy balance model is established. The deployment of PV pack based on the distribution characteristics of solar radiation on airships surface is analyzed. Three maximum power point tracking configurations for the PV array are investigated in detail. The results indicate that mounting PV pack in axial series on stratospheric airships leads to higher power output compared to parallel-connected deployment, PV packs on stratospheric airships exhibit significant output power differences along the circumferential direction and minor differences along the axial direction, the peak of daily maximum output difference ratio is merely 0.4 % between the PV array under the distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT) and the partial distributed global maximum point tracking (PDMPPT) configuration, and PDMPPT configuration needs much fewer module, it emerges as the optimal choice for stratospheric airship PV array. This investigation can provide references for the further PV array configuration optimization under nonuniform radiation condition.