Effect of Gap Variation on DC Series Arcing Characteristics in PV Farms Using Fast Fourier Transform Method

Photovoltaic (PV) systems constitute a crucial aspect of renewable energy generation, yet they can pose safety hazards due to current disturbances in the DC series system, particularly electric arc faults. These arc faults typically occur as a result of system irregularities such as loose connections or damaged cables. Arc faults are characterized by electrical discharges originating from potential differences between two conductors or electrodes. In this study, electric arc faults in the electrode gap were examined at three different distances: 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, and 0.15 mm. The current and voltage signals from the electrical arc were acquired, and subsequently, the current signal was processed and analyzed for its characteristics using the Fast Fourier Transform method in MATLAB. The test results indicate that current spikes during arcing consistently occurred at higher levels than under normal conditions in the frequency domain. Within the frequency range of 0 Hz to 500 Hz, the characteristic frequencies of the series arcing were determined to be 100 Hz, 150 Hz, and 200 Hz.