Review of the Fault Tolerance of DC–DC Converters for Electric Vehicles

Abstract

DC-DC converters are quietly employed in various applications, especially in electric vehicles. Non-isolated and isolated converters are represented the two primary categories, distinguished by their level of isolation, performance, cost, size, and efficiency. The structural characteristics, operational behaviour, and tolerance to failure associated with each converter are reviewed in the paper. Fault diagnosis, identification, and tolerance in DC-DC converters become essential to ensure a reliable and continuous operation. Rapid interruptions, loss of functionality, or degradation of activity could lead to severe consequences. Advances are reviewed, encompassing TRIAC-assisted interleaving, alternative-branch reconfiguration, LLC Full Bridge-Half Bridge transition and the Triple Phase-Shift based Dual Active Bridge control, emphasising their capacity to sustain continuous power flow during open or short-circuit semiconductor faults or sensor anomalies. Control approaches include stable rendering, dynamic response, and compatibility with fault-tolerant systems. In addition, flow chat is used to describe the process of fault-tolerant operation. The review presents a comparison table that summarises the advantages, limitations, efficiency, and fault tolerance, capabilities of the reviewed topologies, to assist researchers in selecting an appropriate topology ensuring higher efficiency and reliability.