An iron core probe based inter-laminar core fault detection technique for generator stator cores

A new technique for detecting incipient inter-laminar insulation failure of laminated stator cores of large generators is proposed in this paper. The proposed scheme is a low flux induction method that employs a novel probe for core testing. The new probe configuration, which uses magnetic material and is scanned in the wedge depression area, significantly improves the sensitivity of fault detection as well as user convenience compared to existing methods. Experimental results from various test generators tested in factory, field, and lab environments under a number of fault conditions are presented to verify the sensitivity and reliability of the proposed scheme.     

Internal faults in synchronous machines. II. Model performance

For pt.I see ibid., vol.15, no.4, p.376-9 (2000). This paper applies techniques for analyzing internal phase and ground faults in the stator windings of large synchronous machines. A variety of internal fault conditions are considered, with results for a 75% ground fault presented, along with comprehensive data for a test machine. The methodology is validated by comparison with results obtained from independent finite element analyses     

Novel Identification Method of Stator Single Phase-to-Ground Fault for Cable-Wound Generators

A new criterion to detect the stator single phase-to-ground fault for Powerformer is proposed in this paper, which is based on the direction of zero-sequence compositive power flow. By virtue of the analysis of new fault characteristics of Powerformer and the comparison with conventional methods, a novel identification scheme is put forward. The proposed approach detects the ground fault by analyzing the power direction. Only zero-sequence current from the terminal of Powerformer and zero-sequence voltage from the busbar are used in this scheme. Combined with third-harmonic principle, it can provide a 100% coverage of fault detection for the stator windings of Powerformer. The effectiveness of this scheme is validated with the Matlab simulation results.     

A new method for synchronous generator core quality evaluation

A new technique for detecting the presence and severity of inter-laminar short circuits as well as estimating the status of core compression (or looseness) in laminated magnetic cores of synchronous generators, with a single test equipment is demonstrated in this paper. The core loss measurement obtained from a flux injection probe that injects flux (of varying amplitude, frequency, and wave-shape) into two nominally adjacent teeth over a localized region, is used as an indicator for detecting and distinguishing the two fault conditions. An injection probe system was developed and tested, in the laboratory, using stacks of full size generator laminations with various induced fault conditions. The injection probe was shown to detect the presence of shorted laminations at the bottom of the slot and to gauge the degree of core compression or looseness. In addition, a unique differential probe was developed and tested to demonstrate the capability of detecting as few as five shorted laminations.     

基于对称绕组的水轮发电机定子铁损试验中圆周磁场的分析

为分析对称绕组布置形式的适用性,以某40 MW水轮发电机为例,根据麦克斯韦电磁场基本原理,建立了基于有限元法的定子铁芯仿真模型,在忽略集肤效应等影响因素的情况下计算了铁损试验中对称绕组的定子铁芯在不同磁导率、不同位置的电磁参数,并结合现场试验数据与计算结果进行了对比。结果证明,在相同的激励源情况下,圆周磁场内特定两点位置的磁场强度比值较小,圆周磁场强度与相对磁导率变化成正比关系,对称绕组布置方法对于不同材料的该型定子铁芯均有较强的适应性。研究结果可为铁损试验分析及诊断提供参考。     

What stator current processing-based technique to use for induction motor rotor faults diagnosis?

In recent years, marked improvement has been achieved in the design and manufacture of stator winding. However, motors driven by solid-state inverters undergo severe voltage stresses due to rapid switch-on and switch-off of semiconductor switches. Also, induction motors are required to operate in highly corrosive and dusty environments. Requirements such as these have spurred the development of vastly improved insulation material and treatment processes. But cage rotor design has undergone little change. As a result, rotor failures now account for a larger percentage of total induction motor failures. Broken cage bars and bearing deterioration are now the main cause of rotor failures. Moreover, with advances in digital technology over the last years, adequate data processing capability is now available on cost-effective hardware platforms, to monitor motors for a variety of abnormalities on a real time basis in addition to the normal motor protection functions. Such multifunction monitors are now starting to displace the multiplicity of electromechanical devices commonly applied for many years. For such reasons, this paper is devoted to a comparison of signal processing-based techniques for the detection of broken bars and bearing deterioration in induction motors. Features of these techniques which are relevant to fault detection are presented. These features are then analyzed and compared to deduce the most appropriate technique for induction motor rotor fault detection.     

A novel technique for measuring grounding capacitance and groundingfault resistance in ineffectively grounded systems

A principle for resonance measurement based on injecting a resonant frequency signal is presented in this letter. Using this principle, the grounding capacitance of lines and equipment and the grounding fault resistance can be measured on-line in ineffectively grounded systems. Based on this, Petersen-coil automatic tuning is implemented and 100% stator grounding fault protection for generator stator windings is also proposed. The prototype for Petersen coil tuning has been tested on networks for many years. The new method for generator stator grounding fault protection is verified by simulation     

A novel technique for measuring grounding capacitance and groundingfault resistance in ineffectively grounded systems

A principle for resonance measurement based on injecting resonant frequency signal is presented in this paper. The grounding capacitance of lines and equipment and the grounding fault resistance can be measured online in ineffectively grounded systems. Petersen-coil automatic tuning is implemented, and 100% stator grounding fault protection for generator stator windings is also proposed. The prototype for Petersen-coil tuning has been tested on networks for many years. In addition, the new method for generator stator grounding fault protection is verified by simulation     

燃气轮机滚动轴承故障及振动传递特性研究

针对燃气轮机动力涡轮转子系统中滚动轴承故障高发的问题,基于赫兹接触理论建立了滚动轴承故障激励力模型,并验证了其准确性。基于有限元法建立了转子-轴承-机匣-固定平台整机模型以揭示振动传递特性。频域分析结果表明：单故障条件下不平衡激励力与滚动轴承故障激励力是单向耦合的关系;双故障条件下,若故障点直径相同,加速度信号中滚子故障主要频率对应的加速度幅值最大,外圈故障主要频率对应的加速度幅值最小。     

A review of stator fault monitoring techniques of induction motors

Condition monitoring of induction motors is a fast emerging technology for online detection of incipient faults. It avoids unexpected failure of a critical system. Approximately 30-40% of faults of induction motors are stator faults. This work presents a comprehensive review of various stator faults, their causes, detection parameters/techniques, and latest trends in the condition monitoring technology. It is aimed at providing a broad perspective on the status of stator fault monitoring to researchers and application engineers using induction motors. A list of 183 research publications on the subject is appended for quick reference.     

Induction motor stator faults diagnosis by a current Concordia pattern-based fuzzy decision system

This paper deals with the problem of detection and diagnosis of induction motor faults. Using the fuzzy logic strategy, a better understanding of heuristics underlying the motor faults detection and diagnosis process can be achieved. The proposed fuzzy approach is based on the stator current Concordia patterns. Induction motor stator currents are measured, recorded, and used for Concordia patterns computation under different operating conditions, particularly for different load levels. Experimental results are presented in terms of accuracy in the detection of motor faults and knowledge extraction feasibility. The preliminary results show that the proposed fuzzy approach can be used for accurate stator fault diagnosis if the input data are processed in an advantageous way, which is the case of the Concordia patterns.     

Influence of stator structure on electromechanical parameters of torus-type brushless DC motor

Five torus-type brushless DC motors, each with a different version of the stator core structure have been analyzed in the paper. The first one is a slotless stator core and the four others have the space between the adjacent coils of stator winding filled with the material made either of iron powder composite or laminated iron. An analysis of the motor performance is based on a three-dimensional (3-D) field motor model as well as on the circuit model of the inverter + motor set supplied from the battery. The toothed stator core versions show a significant increase of the average torque, and also an increase of torque ripple caused mainly by the rise of cogging torque. The analysis based on the simulation results is backed by measurements carried out on the prototype of slotless stator version of the motor.     

Effects of toothless stator design on dynamic model parameters ofpermanent magnet generators

The effects of toothless stator design on the dynamic model parameters of permanent magnet (PM) generators are presented. These parameters, which include inductances and induced back EMFs, are determined for a 75 kVA, 208 V, 400 Hz, two-pole, permanent magnet generator. Two particular stator designs, a toothless stator, and a conventional type stator (with iron teeth), are considered. The method which is used to determine these parameters is general in nature and is based on the use of a series of magnetic field solutions. A validation of the computed EMF and inductance values based on experimentally obtained data is given. The results of using these parameters in a state space model in the abc frame of reference to study the effects of a toothless stator design on the PM generator synchronous inductances are presented. Based on that, it is demonstrated that the effects of rotor saliency and armature loading on the machine parameters are minimized in the case of the toothless design     

Cooling airflow in unidirectional ventilated open-type motor for electric vehicles

In this paper, the cooling airflow in a unidirectional ventilated open-type motor for electric vehicles (EV) was studied. Numerical fluid analysis was performed on the airflow in the motor through a ventilation path outside the stator iron core inside the frame. It is confirmed that there was a flow separation where air did not flow along the path surfaces. This was observed in a flow visualization experiment using water instead of air. We propose a new structure to prevent air separation and confirm its effectiveness by a visualization experiment. It is also shown that another structure with paths both inside and outside the stator iron core in the frame improves the motor's cooling performance. These structures are effective for EV motor downsizing.     

Current monitoring for detecting inter-turn short circuits ininduction motors

In this paper the stator winding itself is used as the sensor for the detection of abnormalities in the stator winding. To achieve this task, detailed analysis of the air gap flux distribution and its dependence on the particular machine configuration is carried out. The analysis presented is based on the rotating wave approach which accounts for all the stator and rotor MMF harmonics, stator and rotor slot harmonics and harmonics due to saturation. It is shown that the most reliable indicators of the presence of the fault are the lower sideband of field rotational frequency with respect to the fundamental, together with some of the components that are related to slotting. Some of them increase as functions of the link current, in a range from 0 to over 10% and some components decrease in the range 0-12%     

Fault tolerance aspects of a highly reliable microprocessor-basedwater turbine governor

A highly reliable fault tolerant microprocessor-based governor with high performance is being developed. In this system, techniques such as redundancy, fault detection, fault location, fault isolation, and self-recovery have been applied successfully to achieve high reliability. The hardware architecture of this system and its fault tolerance aspects are described. The software structure and the redundancy architecture are presented. The fault detection, the fault location, and the fault isolation techniques applied to this system are studied. The self-recovery and reconfiguration of the system and the switch-over control based on the fault detection results are discussed     

Ground-fault currents in unit-connected generators with differentelements grounding neutral

The results of the analysis of zero-sequence currents flowing in generator neutral and at ground-fault location during the generator normal operation and during ground-faults in the stator windings are presented. The influence of different methods of grounding the generator neutral on these currents in the primary circuits for different parameters of generators, transformers and additional capacitance to ground of the generator breakers was determined. This influence was analyzed for generators with ungrounded neutral, for generators with the resistance in neutral and for generators with ground-fault neutralizer (GFN) grounding the generator neutral. The analysis has been done for real resistance of the breakdown channel during ground-faults along the whole length of generator stator winding. It has been found that the applied method of grounding the generator neutral, the parameters of generator and transformer, the additional capacitance to ground of the generator breakers, level of fault resistance and ground-fault location have a substantial influence on currents flowing in the generator neutral and at ground-fault location in the breakdown channel in the main insulation of a generator stator winding     

Finite-element simulation of a generator on load during and after athree-phase fault

A two-dimensional, time-stepped, finite-element technique for the simulation of the electrical and mechanical transient response of a turbine generator to system faults is presented. The stator winding is modeled directly in phase bands, rather than as an equivalent sinusoidal distribution, and rotor torque is calculated by the Maxwell stress tensor method. The method is validated by a comparison of calculated results with test data for the case of a sudden three-phase short-circuit applied to a generator operating at full load, followed by fault clearance and reconnection to the power system     

A Reconfigurable Motor for Experimental Emulation of Stator Winding Interturn and Broken Bar Faults in Polyphase Induction Machines

The benefits and drawbacks of a 5-hp reconfigurable induction motor, which was designed for experimental emulation of stator winding interturn and broken rotor bar faults, are presented in this paper. It was perceived that this motor had the potential of quick and easy reconfiguration to produce the desired stator and rotor faults in a variety of different fault combinations. Hence, this motor was anticipated to make a useful test bed for evaluation of the efficacy of existing and new motor fault diagnostics techniques and not the study of insulation failure mechanisms. Accordingly, it was anticipated that this reconfigurable motor would eliminate the need to permanently destroy machine components such as stator windings or rotor bars when acquiring data from a faulty machine for fault diagnostic purposes. Experimental results under healthy and various faulty conditions are presented in this paper, including issues associated with rotor bar-end ring contact resistances that showed the drawbacks of this motor in so far as emulation of rotor bar breakages. However, emulation of stator-turn fault scenarios was successfully accomplished.      

A heuristic method of variable selection based on principal component analysis and factor analysis for monitoring in a 300 kW MCFC power plant

In a commercialized 300 kW molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) power plant, a univariate alarm system that has only upper and lower limits is usually employed to identify abnormal conditions in the system. Even though univariate alarms have already been adopted for system monitoring, this simple monitoring system is limited for using in an extended monitoring system for fault diagnosis. Therefore, based on principal component analysis (PCA), a recursive variable grouping method for a multivariate monitoring system in a commercialized MCFC power plant is presented in this paper. In terms of development, since a principal component analysis model that contains all system variables cannot isolate a system fault, heuristic recursive variable selection method using factor analysis is presented here. To verify the performance of the fault detection, real plant operations data are used. Furthermore, comparison between type 1 and type 2 errors for four different variable groups demonstrates that the developed heuristic method works well when system faults occur. These monitoring techniques can reduce the number of false alarms occurring on site at MCFC power plant.