Comparison of Military Handbook and the FIDES Methodology for Failure Rate Estimation of Modular Multilevel Converters

Power electronics converters are crucial for power generation, transmission, and distribution. The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is highly valued for its ability to handle high power levels, versatility in reconfiguration, high efficiency through small-capacity submodules (SMs), and robust control capabilities. A failure of a power electronics converter could result in disruptions in the flow of electrical power, which could have severe consequences for people and equipment relying on it. Thus, the reliability of power electronics converters is critical to maintaining the reliability of the electrical power system. Two well-known methodologies, the military handbook (MIL) and the more recent FIDES, can be used to evaluate the MMC’s reliability. Both methods consider various factors to estimate the component’s failure rate, resulting in different reliability parameters. In this paper, the reliability of the MMC is estimated using both methods, and the results are compared for standby and active redundancy strategies. Lastly, a generalized cost form that considers operational cost, capital cost, redundancy strategies, reliability methods (MIL and FIDES), and the MMC’s annual average loading is presented.