Practical Considerations for Designing Reliable DC/DC Converters, Applied to a BIPV Case

Simon Ravyts, Wieland Van De Sande, Mauricio Dalla Vecchia, Giel Van den Broeck, Martijn Duraij, Wilmar Martinez, Michael Daenen and Johan Driesen
Additional contact information
Simon Ravyts: Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Wieland Van De Sande: EnergyVille-Thor Park 8310, 3600 Genk, Belgium
Mauricio Dalla Vecchia: Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Giel Van den Broeck: Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Martijn Duraij: Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Bygning 101A, Anker Engelunds Vej 1, 2800 Kgs.-Lyngby, Danmark
Wilmar Martinez: Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Michael Daenen: EnergyVille-Thor Park 8310, 3600 Genk, Belgium
Johan Driesen: Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: State-of-the-art reliability assessment typically starts from a given circuit topology, for which the most suitable components are selected using a Physics of Failure analysis. This paper, however, addresses the topology selection stage, which is the foundation in designing reliable converters. Based on an overview of the reliability performance of different components, a methodology is presented as a guideline for comparing topologies to one another. The focus is directed at practical consequences associated with certain designs. Furthermore, an overview is provided on the latest developments in component technology reliability improvements. The developed methodology is mainly intended for demanding applications, where long lifetimes are required or elevated ambient temperatures are present. After the topology selection, an overview of possibilities is given that allows further increasing converter availability. Finally, the methodology is applied to the design of module level converters for building integrated photovoltaics, which is a high temperature application with a high desired lifetime. A prototype and experimental results are presented.

Keywords: PV; BIPV; LVDC; DC/DC module-level converters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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