Fault-Tolerant Strategy for a Photovoltaic DC–DC Converter

The project offers a scheme for the diagnosis of open circuit fault and its fault-tolerant mechanism for a 3-level Boost DC Converter.

The project offers a scheme for the diagnosis of open circuit fault and its fault-tolerant mechanism for a 3-level Boost DC Converter. The configuration will be fed with a Photo-Voltaic power system in conjunction with batteries as a storage device. The fault primarily on which we will be dealing is the open-circuit switch fault which is one of the common fault involved in power converter failures. The fault diagnostic methodology takes advantage of only the control variables provided for Maximum Power Point Tracking and voltage balance of output DC link capacitors.

The fault-tolerant strategy is a type of up-gradation of the conventional/original three-level boost converter in which few more components are added to make a minimum compromise with the cost-effectiveness. In addition, the upgraded converter has a function that allows it to partially convert into a 2-level boost converter on the occurrence of an open-circuit switch defect, maintaining battery energy delivery. Simulink based circuits and algorithms are designed to show an implementation of the fault tolerance methodology.