Novel control methodology for detecting series arc in DC circuits

摘要

Arc is a serious issue in DC circuits and more in solar systems as converting solar and battery power to AC current results in undesired losses and complexities. Therefore there is need to detect and eliminate arc faults in solar powered systems to avoid fire hazards. Many arc detection and extinction methods using different means are well-known in literature. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for arc fault detection of DC series arc. The method uses three windows which run over the electrical current waveform and the analysis is sufficient to detect arcing conditions and to eliminate it. The proposed method is more simple and efficient when compared to traditional methods and it is tested for various arcing conditions with different loads like 400W, 600W and 800W. The time taken to detect and eliminate the arc by isolating the system is measured and compared for the given load values. This paper describes the details of the developed scheme for arc fault detection and control.