Diagnosis of DC-DC Converter Semiconductor Faults Based on the Second-Order Derivative of the Converter Input Current

Abstract

The deployment of DC microgrids presents an excellent opportunity to enhance energy efficiency in buildings. Among other components, DC-DC converters play a crucial role in ensuring the interface between the microgrid and its energy generation, storage, and consumption components. However, the reliability of these energy conversion solutions remains somewhat limited. Adopting strategies for accurate monitoring and diagnostics of the DC-DC converter topologies that best suit each equipment’s constraints is, therefore, of critical relevance. Solutions available in the literature concerning fault diagnostics on DC-DC converters do not consider the application of such converters in the household and tertiary sector environments and associated constraints—cost effectiveness, robustness against parameter uncertainty of the converter model, and obviation of the need for historical data. On this basis, this paper presents a simple and effective fault diagnostic strategy, based on a time-domain analysis of the second-order derivative of the converter input current. Its implementation is straightforward and can be integrated into the pre-installed converter control unit. The unique features of the fault diagnostic algorithm show good results for a broad range of operating points, along with insensitivity against load transients and supply voltage fluctuations.