A Voltage-Based Open-Switch Fault Identification Method for Single-Phase Five-level Packed U-cell Inverter

Abstract

this paper addresses, for the first time, the open-switch fault detection in a single-phase five-level packed U-cell inverter (PUC5). The proposed detection and isolation method is based on the analysis of only the output voltage signature. This latter reveals a specific distortion caused by the faulty switch. Its identification is achieved upon the location of the distortion within the fundamental period of the output voltage. Numerical simulations and experimental tests confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in detecting open-switch faults in the PUC5 inverter.