Diagnosis of Solid State DC/DC Cascaded Converter Faults in Hybrid Electric Automotive Power Systems

Advancements in high-power semiconductor technology have opened new avenues for application of power electronics converters in safety critical applications such as in a hybrid vehicle automotive power system. Faults occurring in such application specific solid state converters can lead to fatal consequences as compared to their mechanical counterparts. This paper discusses the use of statistical moments to detect and identify faults. Existing system current and voltage sensors are used without the need for any additional sensors. The technique not only detects system malfunction, but provides information on the device under fault and the nature of the fault. An accurate knowledge of the same will allow appropriate action to be taken to avoid propagation of fault that may lead to catastrophic failure.