Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) in Power Electronic based Power Systems

Power electronics is becoming an underpinning technology for modern power systems. Power converters are increasingly used in various applications implying different levels of importance in power systems. Hence, optimal decision-making for manufacturing, control, operation and maintenance of them requires understanding of their importance in the power systems. Furthermore, identifying the converters importance may be beneficial for simplifying the system-level reliability modeling in a large Power Electronic based Power Systems (PEPSs). Thereby, a Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) approach is proposed in this paper in order to figure out the importance of converters in PEPSs. The failure modes are classified by contingency analysis and their effects are predicted by a power system risk measure. Afterwards, the critical modes and critical components are identified. The FMECA is exemplified by a wind farm connected to the grid through an HVDC transmission system. The obtained results imply the criticality of the HVDC control system, its DC filters followed by its converters.