Mission-Profile Based Reliability Assessment of Grid Integrated Photovoltaic System Installed in the United Arab Emirates

The reliability of power electronic converters in a photovoltaic system has become major concern to extend its power transfer capability. In this regard, this work conducts a mission-profile-based reliability assessment of a 6-kW, two-stage, grid-integrated photovoltaic system installed in the United Arab Emirates. This study considers the failure of power switches in the dc-dc (boost) converter and dc-ac inverter, and the failure of the dc-link capacitor. This investigation uncovered that the dc-link capacitor exhibits the highest susceptibility to failure within the system, with the switches of the dc-dc converter and PV inverter following closely behind. Overall, the PV system has a B10 lifetime of 09 years in UAE. However, the overall lifetime of the system can be improved further by applying various control strategies to manage the thermal load of the power devices.