Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors
Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors
net/publication/4196730
CITATIONS READS
27 2,039
5 authors, including:
Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
Performance tests and Massification model of Electric Vehicle (EV) View project
Smart Campus using the National Laboratory of Smart Grids & the Platform of Test and Applied Technology Development - LAB+i View project
All content following this page was uploaded by Juan Antonio Ortega on 28 May 2014.
Summary: Double frequency tests are used for evaluating stator windings analyzing the tempe- Key words:
rature. Likewise, signal injection on induction machines is a well-known technique on sensor- induction motor,
less motor control fields to find out the rotors position. Motor Current Signature Analysis fault detection,
(MCSA) is the most widely used method for identifying faults in induction motors. MCSA focu- motor current signa-
ses its efforts on the spectral analysis of stator current. Motor faults such as broken rotor bars, ture analysis
bearing damage and eccentricity of the rotor axis can be detected. However, the method presents
some problems at low speed and low torque, mainly due to the proximity between the frequencies
to be detected and the small amplitude of the resulting harmonics respectively. In both cases, the
problem of frequency accuracy is very tricky since the sideband harmonic is close to the funda-
mental harmonic. This paper proposes injecting an additional voltage into the machine under
test at a frequency different from the fundamental one, and then studying the resulting harmo-
nics around the new frequencies appearing due to the composition between injected and main
frequencies.
1. INTRODUCTION
Induction motor drives are the most widely used variable air gap due to a bend shaft or thermal
electrical drive systems, and typically consume bow. Another usual fault is the static
more than 50% of an industrialized nations total eccentricity, which is due to a stationary
generating capability. minimum air gap caused either by stator core
Among the different techniques for fault deformation or oval shape, or by incorrect
detection in induction machines, MCSA is one positioning of the rotor or the stator.
of the most widely used. MCSA focuses its The frequencies related to different faults in the
efforts on the spectral analysis of the stator induction machine, such as air gap eccentricity
current and has been successfully used in the (Fig. 1), and the effect of bearing damage, are
detection of broken bars. Typically the expressed by equations (2) and (3) respectively,
procedure consists in evaluating the relative being fi the rotational speed frequency of the
amplitude of the current harmonic rotor. The equation (3), however, requires the
rotor slots distribution and, hence, a good
knowledge of the construction and bearing
1− s parameters of the machine.
fbrb = f1 m ± s Finally other studies group all the motor faults
(1)
p [3] [4] together, typifying the different harmonic
2
effects depending on the fault.
J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors !'
can be insufficient to give a good sideband
harmonics detection.
The consequence of the former conside-rations
is the following: if the reference magnitude of
the sideband harmonics cannot be accurately
measured in a healthy induction machine, it is
not possible to detect the failures of the machine
using a standard MCSA and a simple stator
current sensor.
In these cases, it is necessary to improve the
technique by artificially exciting new harmonics
without torque quality deterioration, and
evaluating their magnitude and location for
proper motor fault detection.
f sb = f1 (1 ± 2s ) Hz (4)
" Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine Vol. II, No 1, 2006
speed oscillations may reduce the magnitude
of f1(12s) sideband amplitude, but an upper
sideband of f1(1+2s) is then induced in the stator
winding.
These are the classical twice slip frequency
sidebands due to broken rotor bars (Fig. 2),
although other frequencies appear around the
upper harmonic, especially in the fifth (Fig. 3),
as the equation (1) shows.
However, the sidebands can vary due to:
Mechanical load that affects the slip
frequency
Supply frequency, which is different from
the inverter.
Then, the MCSA application must take these
variations into account. a)
The effects caused by a damaged motor with
both rotor eccentricity and broken rotor bars
on the sideband frequencies around the fifth
harmonic are shown in Fig. 3. The motor is
running at a slip frequency of 5% and at full
load. As it is shown, the effect of rotor
eccentricity (frequency inside green oval) is
greater than the effects of broken bars
(frequencies inside red ovals).
All the previous figures have been obtained
with the motors directly supplied by the power
grid. In the case of electrical drives supplied
by power inverters, the problem becomes more
difficult, since the fundamental frequency is not
fixed, and can reach very small values.
Moreover, the switching frequency of the
converter introduces additional harmonics that
b)
make the localization of the faulty frequencies
on the current spectrum more difficult.
These effects can be clearly demonstrated by power motors working with applications of fluid Fig. 3. Stator current
the experiments obtained from the motor control like air conditioners and water control spectrum of a dama-
supplied by a standard inverter. Figure 4 shows ged induction motor:
often operate at medium power or even less,
fifth harmonic side-
the current spectrum of a faulty motor running which implies very slow slip frequencies, and band: a) fifth harmonic
at full load and slip frequency of 10%. Red and hence quite close harmonics in the side band sideband spectrum;
green ovals indicate faulty frequencies due to spectrum, hindering the task of localizing and b) fifth harmonic
broken bars and rotor eccentricity respectively. identifying faulty harmonics. sideband spectrum:
On the other hand, it must also be pointed out details
In these cases of special difficulty to identify
that any information about the motor state can the harmonics, a double solution could be
be extracted from the side band frequencies attempted:
around the fifth harmonic. Using a high order analogue filter to separate
Despite the problems previously described, in the main frequency (or its harmonics) from
the case of small induction motors it is easy to the faulty frequencies, and then capturing
detect not only the magnitude of the side band and processing the sideband harmonics.
harmonics, but also the faulty frequency with Capturing the whole band around the main
an accuracy as low as 0.2 Hz, since the slip is frequencies and then applying a mathe-
relatively large (5% to 10%) and the motor is matical algorithm to identify the faulty
usually working near the nominal load. frequency.
However, in the case of large power induc-tion The first method implies a complex filter, which
motors the slip is small (often lower than 2%), is difficult to implement due to the proximity
and it is difficult to reach a proper detection of between the frequencies in the band.
the side band harmonics without increasing the On the other hand, the second solution also
frequency accuracy, and then the data presents problems due to the dynamic range of
acquisition time. Moreover, medium and large the A/D converter, which should be adjusted
J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors "
On the other hand, it is possible to determine
the effect of broken rotor bars in the motors
current spectrum, if the flux composition into
the stator and the mechanical composition of
frequencies like a speed composition have been
studied. In the stator there are different magnetic
fields due to the different signal injections. If
the different fields are considered like different
wheels moving around themselves with
different angular speeds, relative speeds
between one and the others will appear. Apart
from this, if we introduce the rotor, with its
mechanical speed, then it will be easy to define
the different relative speeds between the rotor
and all the different stator fields. Furthermore,
obviously if the rotor has saliencies such as
broken bars, this will have an effect on stator
currents as an image. The relation equations
to the maximum excursion of the main current between rotor currents and stator currents in
Fig. 4. Stator current
spectrum of a dama- component, being then difficult to capture the an induction machine establish one as an image
ged induction motor harmonic component with the necessary of the others. In an ideal induction machine, all
driven by a power
accuracy. the different current distributions will be sine-
inverter. Base shaped like the fields, but there are many effects
frequency of 50 Hz Both solutions lead to complex and expensive
electronics, which hinder their application to a that cause non-idealities. Moreover, the broken
low cost industrial instrument. rotor bars is a non-ideal effect and will cause
some marks in the current spectrum and around
the different injected signals.
3. PROPOSED METHOD To determine these different marks it is
The proposed method is a modification of the necessary to study the composition of the
MCSA and can be useful in low power induction different frequencies, the different magnetic
machines and small stator currents. Also, the fields induced in the machine, and the relative
method could be applied to high power speed between one and the others. The faulty
induction machines with small slip frequency mark in the current spectrum is defined by the
to simplify and to reduce the price of the data equation (4) under the first harmonic. It is
acquisition system. possible to refer to the equation under the
The basis is simple: applying a sinusoidal and injected frequency test if the magnetic and
three-phase test signal on the stator for a limited mechanical relation speeds are considered. In
time, and amplitude small enough so as to avoid the motor there are different flows and it is
undesirable effects in the normal operation of possible to establish a relationship between
the machine, and then studying the sideband flows, rotor angular speed and marks caused
harmonics around the new frequencies that by a rotor fault such as broken bars
appear due to the signal composition between Considering the rotor frequency as in (6):
main and injected test frequencies.
It is possible to determine these new frequencies n = f1 s (6)
that appear due to a composition between the
different frequencies. Obviously the serial it is possible to determinate the synchronic
transformer employed to inject the test signal speed of one frequency test signal, as in the
as a complex system has been studied, being equation (7):
careful with different effects as hysteresis ftest
effects on the magnetic nucleus and winding ns =
p (7)
effects. Due to induction effects we expect to 2
see the main frequency and the auxiliary
frequency injected. However, as a contribution Immediately it appears a relationship between
of the magnetic nucleus and the irons frequency test and rotors frequency as nsn.
hysteresis two additional compositions appear, Defining electrical speed as function of pair of
defined by the following equations (5); poles and harmonic number i,
p
f c1 = 2 ⋅ f1 + ftest f c 2 = 2 ⋅ ftest + f1 (5) (n − n )
2 s (8)
i
" Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine Vol. II, No 1, 2006
Under the stators point of view it is necessary
to add rotors speed (relative speed between
stator and rotor):
p ( ns − n ) pn p
+ n = s + n 1 − (9)
i i i
pns + n (i − p / 2 )
ftest + n (1 − s )(i − p / 2 )
Fig. 5. Flow density
for 50Hz frequency
According to the first harmonic it is possible to
find the equation, due to the faults mark under
the spectrum in the frequency test side band as:
J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors "!
To detect a fault, the power of one of the
sidebands around the test frequency is
monitored during a long time, looking for
specific harmonic amplitude increment. If such
harmonic increment appears but the load torque
has not changed, then the fault will be detected.
Compared with the standard MCSA method,
the only drawback is that it is necessary to
generate and apply the test signal to the stator
phases. The measurement of the current phases
was already being applied in the MCSA method
and for control purposes as well.
The selection of the signal test frequency is an
important matter. Several studies introduce the
idea of the signal injection into the supply
voltage for sensorless control [6]. Here, it is
Fig. 8. High Band Current Spectrum at nominal speed. Healthy motor suggested to apply these studies and results
to the problem of detecting broken rotor bars
and other motor faults. The selection of the
frequency is a trade-off between several
concerns. The carrier frequency must be high
enough to create a deep bar effect that prevents
the high frequency flux wave from substantially
linking to the rotor bars, but it must also be low
enough so that the skin effect in the rotor
laminations does not repel the flux from
penetrating below the rotor surface.
In a practical case, a low pass filter model of the
machine can be proposed, with the pole
frequency in 400 Hz, hence the fact that the
interaction between main and signal test
frequencies has to cause new harmonic
components lower than this value to get good
results.
Fig. 9. High Band Current Spectrum at nominal speed. Faulty motor
4. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Several tests have been carried out taking the
former considerations into account, which
validate the idea of using auxiliary voltage test
signal and analyzing the side band harmonics
for the detection of a faulty induction motor.
"" Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine Vol. II, No 1, 2006
Moreover, faulty frequencies appear in fig. 9
due to broken rotor bars, the most important
component being at a frequency of:
5. CONCLUSIONS
Experimental results corroborate the main aim
of the paper, and demonstrate the objective of
locating and identifying new current
components that appear as a consequence of signal will be the same as in sinusoidal Fig 12. High Band
motor failures, namely broken rotor bars, but application, more or less on the 80-200Hz band. Current Spectrum at
also eccentricities and other faults. The location low sped. Faulty
In order to allow subharmonics due to the
motor
of these components depends on the frequency modulation we introduce a reactance high-pass
of the auxiliary voltage injected in the stator filter between the drive and the VVVF converter,
windings, and also on the motor load, which which cuts subharmonics due to an asyncron
determines the slip frequency of operation. modulation.
These new components are more evident and In this way, and considering that most modern
easier to measure than the faulty frequencies systems include their own internal current
used in standard MCSA. sensors, the technique presented is promising
for simple usage in modern fault detection
Mention for VVVF converter supply: equipment for induction machine drivers,
Although the injected voltage was obtained although new experiments should be carried out
from an auxiliary generator through a serial using standard inverters instead of AC
transformer, there is no problem to generate a generators.
composed three-phase sine wave with the
desired test frequency by using a special
modulation reference in the Space Vector ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Modulation block of the power inverter. For a The authors would like to acknowledge the
practical implementation in industrial economic support received from the Ministerio
equipment, the frequency test signal should be de Ciencia y Tecnología de España (Spanish
higher than the bandwidth of the current loop, Ministry of Science and Technology) for
especially when vectorial control is applied to carrying out this work under the DPI 2004-03180
IM. In that case, the choice of frequency test Research Project.
J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors "#
REFERENCES Emiliano Aldabas
was born in Teruel, Spain, in 1964. He
1. A l f o r d T . : Motor Current Analysis and its received the engineering degree and Ph.D.
Applications in Induction Motors Fault Diagnosis. degree from Universitat Politècnica de
ENTEK IRD International Corporation. 1998 Catalunya (UPC), in 1992 and 2002,
2. C a m e r o n J . R . , T h o m s o n W . T . , a n d respectively. He joined the Electronic
D o w A . B . : Vibration and current monitoring Engineering Department (DEE) of the UPC
for detecting airgap eccentricity in large induction in 1993, where he first was an Assistant
motors, IEE Proceedings, pp. 155163, Vol.133, Professor. In 1998 he became Lecturer of
Pt. B, No.3, May 1986. the DEE.
3. M o h a m e d E l H a c h e m i B e n b o u z i d : A His research interests are power electronics, modulation,
Review of Induction Motor Signature Analysis as a current controllers, adjustable-speed drives and high-
Medium for Faults Detection, IEEE Transactions performance drive systems. He is specially interested in the
on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 47, 5, Oct 2000, pp. area of hysteresis current controllers for power inverters,
984993. where he has authored several technical papers.
4. T h o m s o n W . T . , a n d F e n g e r M .: Case Dr. Aldabas is a member of the IEEE Industrial Electronics,
histories of current signature analysis to detect faults IEEE Power Electronics and IEEE Education Societies.
in induction motor drives, IEEE International
Conference on Electric Machines and Drives,
IEMDC03, Vol. 3, pp. 14591465, June 2003 Juan A. Ortega
5. B a c h i r S . , T n a n i S . , C h a m p e n o i s received the M.S. Telecommunication
G . , a n d T r i g e a s s o u J . C .: Induction Motor Engineer and Ph.D. degrees in Electronics
Modelling of Broken Rotor Bars and Fault Detection from the Universitat Politècnica de
by Parameter Estimation, IEEE Symposium on Catalunya (UPC) in 1994 and 1997,
Diagnostics for Electrical Machines, Power respectively. In 1994, he joined the UPC
Electronics and Drives SDEMPED 2001, pp 145 in the Department of Electronic
149, Goritzia, Italy, September 2001. Engineering, as full time Associate
6. H o l t z J .: Sensorless Position Control of Lecturer teaching courses of
Induction Motors: an Emerging Technology, IEEE microprocessors and signal processing. In
Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 45, nº 1998, he obtained a tenured position as an Associate Professor
6, Dec 1998, pp. 840851. in the same UPC department. Since 2001 he belongs to the
7. K o s t e n k o M . , a n d P i o t r o v s k i L .: Motion Control and Industrial Applications research group.
Electrical Machines. MIR Publishers, Moscow, 1973. His current R&D areas include: Motor diagnosis, motion
control, signal acquisition, smart sensors and embedded
systems.
Dr. Ortega is a member of the IEEE, the Institute of Electrical
Jordi Cusidó and Electronics Engineers.
was born in Sabadell, Spain, in 1979. He
received the Master engineering degree
from the Technical University of Catalonia Luis Romeral
(UPC), in 2005. He has industrial was born in Asturias, Spain, in 1958. He
experience in electro-mechanical received the MEng and the Ph.D degrees
engineering and is currently engineer and in electrical engineering from the
research consulter for ABB Automation Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya,
Products SA, motor division. (UPC) in 1985 and 1995 respectively. In
1988 he joined the Electronic Engineering
Department of the UPC, where he is
Javier A. Rosero García currently Associate Professor. His research
was born in Potosi (Colombia). He received interests include electric machines, power
the degree in Electrical Engineering from electronics converters and modulation strategies, variable-
the Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia, speed drive systems and fault detection algorithms. He has
in 2002. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. authored more over 50 scientific papers published in
degree at the Technical University of technical journals and conference proceedings. Over the
Catalonia (UPC), Terrassa, Spain. His last seven years, 5 Ph.D. dissertations have been completed
research interests are focused on the areas under his supervision. His current activities include also
supervision, diagnosis and control of teaching and consulting in electric drives and programmable
electrical machines. electronics systems. He belongs to the Motion and Industrial
Control Group at the Electronic Engineering Department of
the UPC, which has in recent years established itself as one
of the more active motor drives research group in the
Technical Universities of Spain. The Groups major research
activities concern the induction motor drive, enhanced
efficiency drives, intelligent self-commissioning drives, direct
torque controllers and sensorless vector drives.
Dr. Romeral is a Member of the IEEE Industrial Electronics
Society, European Power Electronics and Drives Association,
and the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC).
E-mail: romeral@eel.upc.edu
"$ Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine Vol. II, No 1, 2006