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

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.