Aging Mechanism and Life Estimation of Photovoltaic Inverter DC-link Capacitors in Alternating Humid and Thermal Environment*

doi:10.23919/CJEE.2024.000054

Chinese Journal of Electrical Engineering ›› 2024, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (1): 48-62.doi: 10.23919/CJEE.2024.000054

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Aging Mechanism and Life Estimation of Photovoltaic Inverter DC-link Capacitors in Alternating Humid and Thermal Environment^*

Quanyi Gao¹, Shuaibing Li^1,2,*, Yi Cui³, Yongqiang Kang^1,2, Haiying Dong¹

1. School of New Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Large Electric Drive System and Equipment Technology, Tianshui 741000, China;
3. School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield 4300, Australia

Received:2023-11-27 Revised:2024-01-24 Accepted:2024-02-20 Online:2024-03-25 Published:2024-04-10
Contact: * E-mail: lishuaibing1105@163.com
About author:Quanyi Gao received his B.Sc. degree in Vehicle Engineering from Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, China, in 2021. Currently, he is working toward the M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering at the School of New Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University. His main research focus is on fault diagnosis and condition monitoring of power equipment.
Shuaibing Li was born in Gansu, China, in 1989. He received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in 2018 from Southwest Jiaotong University. Now, he is an Associate Professor with the School of New Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University. His research interests include condition monitoring, assessment and fault diagnosis of high-voltage power equipment, and dynamic state estimation of electrical power systems.
Yi Cui received his B.Eng. and M.Eng. degrees from Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China, in 2009 and 2012, respectively, and received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, in 2016. Dr. Cui has been a Research Fellow in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the USA and a Research Fellow at the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, Australia. Currently, he is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Australia. His research interests include wide-area monitoring and control, data analytics and machine learning of distribution networks, condition assessment and fault diagnosis of power transformers.
Yongqiang Kang was born in Gansu Province, China, in 1988. He received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou, China, in 2008 and 2012, respectively. He received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Southwest Jiaotong University. Now, he is an Associate Professor with the School of New Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University. His research interests include high-voltage asset management, gas discharge and outdoor insulation detection.
Haiying Dong received his Ph.D. degree from Xi'an Jiaotong University in 2003. Now, he is the Dean and a Professor with the School of New Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University. His main research field includes power system optimization and intelligent control, new energy power generation optimization control.
Supported by:
* Opening Project of State Key Laboratory of Large Electric Drive System and Equipment Technology (SKLLDJ022020004).

Abstract

Abstract: DC-link capacitors play a vital role in managing ripple voltage and current in converters and various devices. This study focuses on exploring the aging characteristics of DC-link capacitors in alternating humid and thermal environments aligned with the operational conditions in photovoltaic and wind power applications. Adhering to relevant power equipment standards, we designed a 24-h alternating humid and thermal aging environment tailored to the requirements of DC-link capacitors. An aging test platform is established, and 20 widely used metallized polypropylene film capacitors are selected for evaluation. Parameters such as the capacitance, equivalent series resistance (ESR), and phase angle are assessed during aging, as well as the onset time and extent of aging at various intervals. This study focuses on the aging mechanisms, analyzing electrode corrosion, the self-healing process, and dielectric aging. Fitting the aging characteristics enabled us to calculate the lifespan of the capacitor and predict it under different degrees of capacitance decay. The results show that under alternating humid and thermal conditions, capacitance attenuation and ESR increase exhibit exponential nonlinearity, influenced by factors such as the oxidation and self-healing of capacitive metal electrodes, dielectric main-chain fracture, and crystal transformation. This study underscores the pivotal role of encapsulation in determining the aging decay time.

Key words: DC-link capacitors, aging mechanism, life prediction, metallized film capacitors

Quanyi Gao, Shuaibing Li, Yi Cui, Yongqiang Kang, Haiying Dong. Aging Mechanism and Life Estimation of Photovoltaic Inverter DC-link Capacitors in Alternating Humid and Thermal Environment^*[J]. Chinese Journal of Electrical Engineering, 2024, 10(1): 48-62.

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Aging Mechanism and Life Estimation of Photovoltaic Inverter DC-link Capacitors in Alternating Humid and Thermal Environment^*

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