A Review of Practical Algorithms for Fault Diagnosis at DC side of Photovoltaic Systems and Future Research Trends

Abstract

Photovoltaic systems have been under development for many years. However, their energy production is low compared to other systems. From 2016 to 2022, the research goal was to develop a fault diagnosis that evolves from inverter functional analysis to comprehensive monitoring systems. Currently, it is a major challenge to propose a commercially viable product. This review article focuses on fault diagnosis algorithms on the PV DC side for real-world applications. We analyzed 100 studies published between 2017 and 2024, considering nine factors PV array size on the DC side, data collection method, number of data sets, the fault itself, fault location, diagnosis accuracy, diagnosis time, input data for the algorithm and the diagnosis algorithm used. We summarize the strengths and weaknesses of each study in terms of practical implementation and highlight new technological trends. In addition, we discuss how new technologies for PV fault diagnosis on the DC side are tested and evaluated. Our contribution is intended to guide research in the field of PV fault diagnostics and help ensure that it can be used commercially in the future.