A comprehensive review on DC arc faults and their diagnosis methods in photovoltaic systems

Integration of renewable energy including solar energy is growing faster than ever before. Solar energy supplies more than 1.3% of global power, and it is predicted to become the largest electricity source by 2050 with about 11% of global power consumption. However, the improper installation, non-frequently scheduled maintenance, and aging effect can accelerate the deterioration of PV system components, which directly increase the possibility of arc fault occurrence. The undetected arc faults pose a severe fire hazard to residential, commercial, and utility-scaled PV systems. To deliver electricity in a safe and reliable manner, such a dangerous event must be detected at early stage. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the-state-of-art techniques for DC arc faults detection in photovoltaic systems (PV). Different methods and the features used for detection are discussed and compared in detail. This paper also emphasizes the importance of DC arc fault simulation for characteristics study and fault diagnosis purpose. Several DC arc fault models have been reviewed and compared.