Development of fault detection system in PV system

A fault detection system in PV system has been developed. The accuracy of PV module fault detection using AC output data in the PV system is discussed. First, the output characteristics in a faulty PV array were determined by using a fault simulation PV system. Second, the following three fault detection methods were developed. Method 1: Comparison of measured output value and estimated value derived from measured irradiation. Method 2: Comparison of present and past performance ratios (PRs). Method 3: Comparison of present and past output differences in an intersystem. Third, the fault detection accuracy in the proposed methods was evaluated on the basis of the experimental results.