Diagnostic Techniques for Power Electronic Converters

Over the last three decades, electronic devices have become widely adopted across numerous sectors. Many of these systems require DC power, often at various voltage levels. To meet these demands, DC-DC converters are employed, which can be either linear or switching types. Today, the majority of DC-DC converters in use are of the switching type, as they offer higher efficiency and consequently enable much greater power density.Recently, particular attention has been given to diagnostic methods for DC-DC converters. For instance, estimating specific parameters in power electronic converters provides a highly useful tool for diagnosing systems that incorporate these converters.Failures in such systems are often caused by the degradation of passive components within the converters. This can lead to the disruption of the entire system and, ultimately, a complete shutdown of the equipment. Therefore, it is crucial to continuously evaluate passive components and monitor their "health status" by observing certain key parameters. This approach results in more reliable systems.Furthermore, system improvement can be achieved through a predictive approach, where the failure of specific components can be anticipated and identified. Rapid replacement of faulty components allows the system to resume operation quickly, preventing more severe problems.In this project, a typical boost converter was analyzed. By employing various techniques, the degradation of the capacitor was studied. Advanced methods for assessing the proper functioning of DC-DC converters focus on diagnosing electrolytic capacitors. Diagnostics are performed either by evaluating the ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) or through harmonic analysis of the output voltage ripple.The primary objective of the internship was to identify a suitable diagnostic technique through simulations and to implement it on a microprocessor-based system.