access icon free Fault diagnosis in grid-connected PV NPC inverters by a model-based and data processing combined approach

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 07/04/2018, Accepted 31/07/2019, Revised 17/03/2019, Published 09/08/2019

This study presents a fault detection and isolation (FDI) method for open-circuit faults (OCFs) in the switching devices of a grid-connected neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter for photovoltaic (PV) applications. The proposed methodology addresses the fault diagnosis problem by a combined model-based and data processing perspective to study single and simultaneous faults in the NPC inverter. For the model-based scheme, a bank of sliding-mode proportional–integral observers is suggested to estimate the fault profiles under an additive model. Thus, from the estimated fault profiles, and by performing a directional residual evaluation in a fixed reference frame, single and simultaneous fault scenarios can be isolated in the NPC inverter. However, for some fault classes, there is some ambiguity by just the model-based approach that is overcome by employing the average line currents to construct extra fault signatures. The proposed FDI scheme only requires the measurements of line currents and grid voltages in the diagnosis media and can isolate single OCFs and simultaneous OCFs in the order or lower than a fundamental period of the grid frequency. Our new FDI methodology is validated through experimental data from a practical PV system in a closed-loop grid-connected NPC inverter under single and simultaneous OCF conditions.

Inspec keywords: invertors; power generation faults; voltage measurement; observers; power grids; electric current measurement; photovoltaic power systems; fault diagnosis

Other keywords: fixed reference frame; fault profile estimation; directional residual evaluation; fault diagnosis problem; neutral-point-clamped inverter; additive model-based scheme; fault signatures; data processing perspective; average line current measurement; switching devices; grid voltage measurement; grid-connected neutral-point-clamped inverter; combined model-based scheme; sliding-mode proportional–integral observers; fault detection and isolation method; open-circuit faults; FDI methodology; OCF conditions; closed-loop grid-connected PV NPC inverter; photovoltaic applications

Subjects: DC-AC power convertors (invertors); Current measurement; Voltage measurement; Solar power stations and photovoltaic power systems

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