The wide variety of arc faults induced by different load types renders residential series arc fault detection complicated and challenging. Series dc arc faults could cause fire accidents and adversely affect power systems if not promptly detected. However, in practical power systems, they are difficult to detect because of a low arc current, absence of a zero-crossing period, and various abnormal behavior based on different types of power loads and controllers. In particular, conventional protection fuses may not be activated when they occur. Undetected arc faults could cause false operation of power systems and potentially lead to damage to property and human casualties. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a detection system for series arc faults in DC systems for the reliable and efficient operation of such systems. In this study, several typical loads, especially nonlinear and complex loads such as power electronic loads, were chosen and analyzed, and five time-domain parameters of the current—average value, median value, variance value, RMS value, and distance of the maximum and minimum values—were chosen for arc fault detection. Various machine learning algorithms were used for arc fault detection and their detection accuracies were compared.

Capacitors are critical components of power converter systems as they influence the cost, size, performance, and scale of such systems. However, capacitors exhibit the highest degeneration and breakdown rates among all power converter components due to their wear-out failures and short lifespans. Therefore, condition monitoring is a vital process to estimate the health status of capacitors and to provide predictive maintenance for ensuring stability in the operation of power converter systems. The equivalent series resistance (ESR) and the capacitance of the capacitor are two widely used parameters for evaluating the health status of capacitors. Unlike the ESR, the capacitance of a capacitor is suitable for the health monitoring of various types of capacitors; therefore, it is more preferable for large-scale systems. This paper presents an overview of previous research addressing this aspect of capacitors and provides a better understanding of the capacitance monitoring of capacitors utilized in power converter systems.

Series arc faults are becoming more dangerous in DC systems. Without detecting in time and separation correctly, these fault events can cause electrical fires or explosions, creating a massive threat to people’s safety and properties. This paper presents an analysis and comparison of DC series arc fault detection using various artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in DC systems. The combinations of six feature parameters in both time and frequency domains with various AI techniques are recommended to detect DC series arc fault effectively. The performance and effectiveness of different combinations between feature parameters and learning techniques are summarized and discussed. Finally, practical challenges are identified, and suitable combinations of feature parameters and learning techniques are recommended for different operation conditions.

Arc phenomena are usually related to the undesired disengagement of two electrical connections. The emission power discharge from the failure arc may damage wiring and can present a fire hazard. Numerous studies have been proposed to detect arc events and quickly isolate them from an electrical system. DC arc faults are often sorted into two types: series and parallel arcs. A series arc may be the outcome of discharging links in electrical wiring. By contrast, the parallel arc occurs between two electric wires, or between a link and a ground, owing to contamination or poor isolation. The currents in a system with an arc fault are considerably greater when the arc parallel in nature than when the arc is series in nature. In this paper, the electric activities of a network are investigated for the duration of series and parallel arc failures in both the time and frequency domains. The arcing behavior investigated is selected to allow for the identification of series and parallel arcs. The sorting of electrical arcs in an accurate and reliable manner is useful for electrical protection schemes. The identification process used here is based on data related to different domains, such as load current and voltage. In this study, eight learning techniques are investigated with the aim of detecting series and parallel arc faults. The arc behaviors were studied in the various domains. We used the load current and voltage characteristics as an statistic for categorizing a given arc failure. This study could be beneficial to enhance the stability and reliability of arc-fault detectors.

DC series arc faults pose a significant threat to the reliability of DC systems, particularly in DC generation units where aging components and high voltage levels contribute to their occurrence. Recognizing the severity of this issue, this study aimed to enhance DC arc fault detection by proposing an advanced recognition procedure. The methodology involves a sophisticated combination of current filtering using the Three-Sigma Rule in the time domain and the removal of switching noise in the frequency domain. To further enhance the diagnostic capabilities, the proposed method utilizes time and frequency signals generated from power supply-side signals as a reference input. The time–frequency features extracted from the filtered signals are then combined with artificial learning models. This fusion of advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques aims to capitalize on the strengths of both domains, providing a more comprehensive and effective means of detecting arc faults. The results of this detection process validate the effectiveness and consistency of the proposed DC arc failure identification schematic. This research contributes to the advancement of fault detection methodologies in DC systems, particularly by addressing the challenges associated with distinguishing arc-related distortions, ultimately enhancing the safety and dependability of DC electrical systems.

The unwanted electric discharge usually relates to arc phenomena between two connectors. The energy from an arc might fuse the electric wiring and be responsible for a fire. Various researches have been investigated for safety operations to improve detected techniques for arc diagnosis. There are two types of arc faults: parallel and series arcs. A parallel arc happens among two electrical lines, or line and ground, due to degrading insulation or contamination. On the other hand, a series arc might result from releasing connections in the wiring. The system’s current can be significantly increased by parallel arc fault compared with the series arc. In this work, the electrical behavior of the system is investigated during parallel arc faults to understand the arcing characteristics from different cases, identify electrical characteristics that are useful and reliable for the diagnosis process, and determine the location of the fault based on current or voltage of the faulted system. Eight learning techniques are adopted to detect arc fault in this study. Parallel arc signals were analyzed in the time and frequency domains, and unique characteristics of the current are extracted using Fourier analysis as an indicator for diagnosing an arc fault. This research can be used to improve arc-fault detector reliability and robustness.