A MCSA Procedure to Diagnose Low Frequency

Mechanical Unbalances in Induction Machines

C. Concari, G. Franceschini, C. Tassoni

1
Abstract Intensive research efforts have been focused
on the Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) in order
to determine the actual health conditions of induction
machines. However, particular mechanical load conditions
such as low frequency load torque oscillation have effects
similar to rotor faults in the current spectrum and the result
of diagnostic procedure may be ambiguous.
A procedure based on the specific features of the current
space vector in correspondence of load torque oscillation is
proposed. By this way the MCSA is able to discern this kind
of trouble from rotor faults and to quantify the unbalance.
Index terms Induction motors, MCSA, mechanical unbalance,
diagnostics, modeling.
I. NOMENCLATURE
, Stator, rotor resistance
, Stator, rotor total inductance
Magnetizing inductance
Total leakage coefficient
Motor pole pairs number
, Stator and rotor coupling coeffici
s r
s r
m
s r
R R
L L
L
p
k k
o
ents
, Rotor-load inertia, critical inertia
Slip
, , Stator phase currents
Stator voltage space vector
Stator, rotor current space vector ,
Stator, rotor flu
,
c
A B C
s
s r
s r
J J
s
i i i
v
i i

,
,
x space vector
and stator voltage components
and stator current components
, and rotor current components
, and stator flux components
, and rotor fl
sd sq
sd sq
rd rq
sd sq
rd rq
v v d q
i i d q
i i d q
d q
d q


*
ux components
, Load torque, electromagnetic torque
Supply pulsation
Mechanical rotor speed
Torque disturbance pulsation

, Damping, critical damping
Self resonant pul
load em
r
c
n
T T
e
e
e
o o
e
*
sation
Small signal component
Left and right current sideband component phasors
,
, Active and reactive current components at pulsation
Laplace variable
T T
l r
T T
act react
I I
I I
s
e
A A
A A
A
A A

II. INTRODUCTION
NTENSIVE research efforts have been focused on the
Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) in order to
detect electrical and mechanical fault condition of
induction machines [1], [2].

C. Concari, G. Franceschini and C. Tassoni are with the Dept. of
Information Technology, Viale G. P. Usberti 181/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
(carlo.concari@unipr.it).
As far as broken bars detection is concerned the stator
current spectrum lines at pulsations (12s)e of a single
phase are commonly used for diagnostic purpose [3].
However, if a low frequency oscillation component at
pulsation e
*
is present in the load torque, the current
spectrum will show two lines at pulsations (ee
*
). Under
the condition e
*
~2se the current spectra are similar and
the diagnostic procedure may fail to identify the real
cause of trouble. A similar problem is present if the load
torque oscillates at pulsation near the rotor speed: the
lines due to the torque oscillation, in this case, approach
the mixed eccentricity lines.

Many researchers treated the issue concerning the
separation of mechanical load effect from rotor fault
effect [4]. This task is accomplished in [5] by comparing
the actual stator current to a model reference value
including the load effect. The difference between these
two signals provides a filtered quantity independent of
load variation. However, an accurate estimation of motor
parameters is needed. Similar difficulties appear in [6]
where two machine models are used in to compute the
developed torque. Instantaneous power spectrum can be
used to detect rotor faults or mechanical torque anomalies
as well, but it is still difficult to distinguish the load effect
from rotor asymmetry [7].
In [8]-[10] procedures based on current space vector
features have been proposed. In [8] and [9] the vector loci
have been considered: the locus corresponding to rotor
fault is an ellipse, as verified in [11], while that
corresponding to a time-varying load is reported to be a
straight line. The parameters that influence the loci are
not addressed. In [10] the oscillation in the instantaneous
active current is presented as due to the load oscillation,
while that in the instantaneous reactive current is
presented as due to rotor fault, without any theoretical
justification.
In [12] the torque monitoring procedure has been
addressed from a theoretical point of view, relying on
simplifying assumptions. The effect of load torque
variation has been analyzed to point out the peculiarities
of the current spectra for typical load disturbances. The
results obtained both by simplified relationships and
dynamic model agreed with experiments. Figs. 1 and 2
show the results in case of a 1 Hz square-wave torque
disturbance. Fig. 1 shows the torque waveform and its
spectrum while Fig. 2 shows the consequent machine
current waveform and spectrum. These results allowed to
validate the reconstruction of torque ripple through the
current: the current had sideband odd components with a
hyperbolic shape versus frequency just like the load
torque square wave. Nevertheless some perplexities arise
about the strong assumptions introduced in the machine
model.
I
XIX International Conference on Electrical Machines - ICEM 2010, Rome
978-1-4244-4175-4/10/$25.00 2010 IEEE

Fig. 1. LabView front panel showing the shape of the shaft torque and
its spectrum [12].


Fig. 2. LabView front panel with the stator current and its spectrum
[12].

A deep investigation on the effect of rotor bar faults
allowed the authors to acquire a good experience about
the importance of system inertia [13]. As a consequence
the authors can state that the good results in [12]
depended by the test bed utilized for the experiments: the
tested motor (a 2.2 kW induction machine with inertia of
0.025 kgm
2
) was connected to a 25 kW controlled brake
with an inertia much higher than that of the tested
machine. An high inertia value was able to null any
dynamics of machine-load system.
Therefore a preliminary investigation on the actual tested
machines has been executed in order to take into account
possible resonance conditions. The frequency response of a
machine has been studies in function of the equivalent inertia
value and of machine parameters. Concerning small power
induction machines supplied by the mains, the two, usually
complex conjugate, poles located below the rotational
frequency are evidenced.
Once excluded resonance conditions in the frequency range
involving torque disturbances with effects similar to rotor
asymmetry, the current space vector reported to the rotating
reference frame has been considered. Its active and reactive
components are sinusoidal functions at the fundamental
mechanical unbalance pulsation. The amplitude and the phase
displacement of these functions allow to draw a locus in the
space vector rotating frame that characterizes the specific
machine trouble. The locus, an ellipsis, is function of inertia
value while its orientations depends on the specific trouble.
Eventually relationships linking current components to the
load torque disturbance are presented.
III. MACHINE DYNAMICS
Under usual assumptions the use of space vectors permits
to represent the induction motor equation in a very effective
form utilizing the supply pulsation e reference frame speed:
( )
( )
*
0
3
Im
2
s
s s s s
r
r r r r
r
s s load
d
v R i j
dt
d
R i j p
dt
d
J p i T
dt

e e
e

= + +
= + +
=

(1)

In order to describe, analytically, the mechanical dynamical
behaviour due to a low frequency oscillating load torque
superimposed to a constant one, further assumptions can be
introduced. The stator electric dynamics is disregarded [14,
15] and as a consequence stator flux results from stator voltage
and the first equation is reduced to

v
s
= je
r

s
. As a
consequence the electric dynamic depends on only one
complex state variable to be chosen between the rotor current
or rotor flux space vectors.
Resolving
and
s s
v

into their components:

v
sd
= v
d
, v
sq
= 0 and
sd
= 0 ,
sq
=
v
d
e

and assuming, for the sake of simplicity, L
s
=L
r,
(only one
coupling coefficient k=k
s
=k
r
results), The model is described
by d-q rotor and mechanical equations:
0 = i
rd
R
r
+
d
rd
dt
(e pe
r
)
rq
=

rd
oL
r
R
r
+
d
rd
dt
(e pe
r
)
rq
0 = i
rq
R
r
+
d
rq
dt
+ (e pe
r
)
rd
=

rq
oL
r
R
r
+
kv
d
eoL
r
R
r
+
d
rq
dt
+ (e pe
r
)
rd
J
de
r
dt
=
3
2
p
kv
d
e

rd
oL
r
|
\

|
.
|
T
load
(2)
Rotor flux components are chosen as variables, substituting
i
rd
=

rd
oL
r
, i
rq
=

rq
oL
r
+
kv
d
eoL
r
.
Since the torque disturbance can be assumed comparatively
small the equations can be linearized around the prior steady
state (subscript o) in order to describe, in terms of transfer
function, the dynamical behaviour of the third order system.
Moreover the difference between the synchronous speed and
the electrical rotor speed
(e pe
ro
)
is very small and it can be
disregarded. Taking into account synchronous operations

rdo
= 0 and
rqo
= k
v
d
e
the system (2) becomes:
dA
rd
dt
=
R
r
oL
r
A
rd
+ p
rqo
Ae
r
=
R
r
oL
r
A
rd

kv
d
e
Ae
r
dA
rq
dt
=
R
r
oL
r
A
rq
dAe
r
dt
=
1
J
3
2
p
e
kv
d
oL
r
A
rd
AT
load
(3)
Since the q-axis rotor equation is decoupled a second order
dynamic system results. Introducing Laplace transform it
holds:
0
AT
load
=
s +
R
r
oL
r

rqo

3
2
1
J
p
e
kv
d
oL
r
s
A
rd
Ae
r
=
s +
R
r
oL
r

kv
d
e

3
2
1
J
p
e
kv
d
oL
r
s
A
rd
Ae
r
(4)
and the transfer function between the speed ripple and the
torque disturbance results:
( )
2
2

3 1

2
r
r r
r
load
sq
r r
R
s
L
R p
T
s s k
L J L
e o

o o
+
A
=
A
+ +
(5)


Fig. 3. Block scheme of PMDC motor.

Please note that (5) is similar to the well known behaviour
of a PMDC motor represented by the block scheme reported
in Fig. 3 whose characteristic equation is:
s
2
+ s
R
a
L
a
+
1
J
p
L
a
k
a
( )
2
(6)
where L
a
and R
a
are respectively the armature inductance
and resistance and
k
a

is the torque constant.

The characteristic equation (i.e. the transfer function
denominator) is of fundamental importance in order to
investigate the dynamical system behaviour. In particular the
damping factor o and the self resonant pulsation (SRP)e
n

resume its behaviour. With reference to the canonical equation
s
2
+ 2oe
n
s + e
n
2
, it results:
e
n
=
3
2
p k
v
d
e
|
\

|
.
|
2
JoL
r
=
3
2
p k
sq
( )
2
JoL
r
(7)
o =
R
r
2oL
r
2
3
JoL
r
p k
v
d
e
|
\

|
.
|
2
=
R
r
2oL
r
2
3
JoL
r
p k
sq
( )
2
(8)
In order to avoid the system under damped behaviour at
pulsation around SRP it can be assumed a critical damping
value o
c
imposing that o > o
c
.
R
r
2oL
r
2
3
JoL
r
p k
sq
( )
2
> o
c
(9)
Solving for inertia value leads to:
J
c
> o
c
2
6 poL
r
k
sq
( )
2
R
r
2
(10)
In the following the results obtained from two different size
induction machines (Tab. I) varying inertia and disturbance
pulsation are reported to underline the involved parameters.
Imposing o
c
= 0.7 , in order to obtain a sufficiently
damped behaviour, and substituting machine parameters in
(10) we obtain the following constraint about critical inertia
value: machine 1 J
c
=0.012 kgm
2
, machine 2 J
c
=0.6 kgm
2
.
Fig. 4 shows the machines response simulated by the
complete dynamic model (1) for different inertia values. These
results confirm the simplified relationships: assuming a
machine-load combined inertia value greater then J
c
and a
frequency value of the load torque disturbance lower than the
SRP the machine reaction can be modelled as a first order
dynamic system.

TABLE I
MACHINE PARAMETERS
PARAMETERS MACHINE 1 MACHINE 2
V [V] 310 310
P [kW] 1.5 15
R
s
[O] 4.9 0.22
R
r
[O] 3.6 0.2
L
s
=L
r
[mH] 356 82.42
L
m
[mH] 336 80
J [Kgm
2
] 0.007 0.2

(a)
(b)

Fig. 4. E.m. torque oscillation amplitude with a 3%T
rated
load torque vs.
frequency for different inertia values: machine 1 (a), machine 2 (b).
IV. CURRENT SPACE VECTOR FEATURES DUE TO TORQUE
DISTURBANCE
Far from the self oscillating pulsation or beyond the critical
inertia, reference can be made to a quasi-stationary condition:
the superposition of an oscillating term at pulsation *
produces in the constant quantities, i.e. speed and e.m. torque,
sinusoidal variations at the same pulsation * and spectral
components in sinusoidal quantities, i.e. investigated currents,
at pulsations *.
The e.m. torque variation and the speed variation are linked
through the shape of the steady-state torque-speed
characteristic. If the curve is assumed as linear, it is:
AT
em
(t) = KAe
r
(11)
with the gain K between torque and speed variations. For
large size machines this parameter can be computed from the
approximated torque-speed relationship
T
em
~
3p
e
V
2
R
2
1 p
e
r
e
|
\

|
.
|
obtaining K =
3p
2
e
2
V
2
R
2
, while for
low size machines the actual shape of the characteristic must
be considered and K is dependent on the operating condition.
The reaction -K, negative feedback for the load torque,
assumes the meaning of a strong friction torque Ke
r
added to
the inertia torque Jde
r
/dt.
The link among the load torque oscillation
( ) cos *
load load
T t T t e A = A (its peak instant will be chosen as time
reference for pulsation * variables) and the e.m. torque
AT
em
(t) and speed Ae
r
(t) oscillations can be obtained
analytically from the mechanical equation of the machine:
J
de
r
(t )
dt
= T
em
(t ) T
load
(t ) = T
em
(t ) T
load
+ AT
load
cos e * t
( )

(12)
by small signals approach:
J
dAe
r
(t)
dt
= AT
em
AT
load
cos e *t
( )
(13)
Substituting (11) in (13), a first order differential equation
linking the speed and the load torque oscillations is obtained. It
has the simple analytical solution:
Ae
r
(t ) =
AT
load
K
2
+ (e * J )
2
cos e *t arctg
e * J
K
|
\

|
.
|
(14)
and the electromagnetic torque can be written as:

AT
em
(t) =
KAT
load
K
2
+ (e * J )
2
cos e *t arctg
e * J
K
|
\

|
.
|
(15)
Phasor representation for the variable rotating at e*
pulsation can be utilized as well. Introducing the following
phasors:

ATload = AT
load
the torque disturbance (assumed on the real
axis)
AT em = AT
em
e
j
e*J
K
the oscillating e.m. torque
Aer = Ae
r
e
j
e*J
K
the oscillating speed
and utilizing the complex operator
Z = K + je * J

relationships (14) and (15) can be written as:
AT em = KAer = K
AT
load
K + je * J
= K
AT
load
Z
(16)
Therefore the amplitudes of speed and e.m. torque ripple
depend on the disturbance frequency itself, on the machine
inertia and on the torque-speed characteristic shape or on some
machine parameters (rotor resistance and pole pair number
according to the simplified assumption about torque-speed
characteristic).
As far as the currents are concerned, the modulation of the
fundamental pulsation component due to e.m. torque
oscillation will produce two new components at pulsations
*. The phase currents can be expressed as:

i
A
=Icos(et u)+I
l
AT
cos (ee*)t
l
AT

+I
r
AT
cos (e+e*)t
r
AT

(17)
i
B
=Icos(et ou)+ I
l
AT
cos (ee*)t o
l
AT

+ I
r
AT
cos (e+e*)t o
r
AT

i
C
=Icos(et +ou)+I
l
AT
cos (ee*)t +o
l
AT

+ I
r
AT
cos (e+e*)t +o
r
AT

where I is the amplitude of the fundamental current

component, u is its angular displacement with respect to the
voltage fundamental component (phase A voltage is assumed
as cos
A
V t v e = ), o = e
j
2
3
t
, I
l
T
and I
r
T
are, respectively,
the amplitude of the left-side component and of the right-side
component,
l
AT
and
r
AT
are their angular displacements.
It is to be noted that, treating multi-frequency systems, the
absolute value of angles
l
AT
and
r
AT
is meaningless. In order
to correlate the new current components to the e.m. torque, it
is convenient to consider the current space vector reported to
the reference frame rotating at the fundamental pulsation :
( * ) ( * )
3
2
T T
l r
j t j t j T T
s l r
i Ie I e I e
e e
A A
+ + u A A
(
= + +

(18)
Besides the dc component
3 / 2I cosu j sinu ( )
, two
further components at pulsations *

are evidenced. The new
current components have the same pulsation and therefore
their angular displacements are meaningful:
3
[ cos cos( * ) cos( * )]
2
3
[ sin sin( * ) sin( * )]
2
T T T T
s l l r r
T T T T
l l r r
i I I t I t
j I I t I t
e e
e e
A A A A
A A A A
= u+ + + +
u+ +

(19)
Nevertheless, using FFT analysis the computation of the
angular displacements of the two current sidebands is
unreliable. It is therefore convenient defining the two new
functions i
act
(t) and i
react
(t) as:
| | ( ) ( )
act react
i i t j i t A = A + A

(20)
where:
( ) Re 3/ 2 cos( * ) cos( * )
( ) Im 3/ 2 sin( * ) sin( * )
T T T T
act l l r r
T T T T
react l l r l
i t i I t I t
i t i I t I t
e e
e e
A A A A
A A A A
( ( A = A = + +

( ( A = A = +

(21)
(a)
(b)
Fig. 5. Amplitude of
T
react
jI
A
and
T
act
I
A
and their displacement vs.
inertia (machine 1 (a), machine 2 (b)) at full load with a 3%T
rated
torque
ripple at pulsation 2s
rated
e .
(a)
(b)
Fig. 6. Amplitude of left and right sidebands
T
l
I
A
and
T
l
I
A
and their
displacement vs inertia, machine 1 (a), machine 2 (b).

The procedure proposed in case of fault rotor to obtain the
link among these components and the current space vector
ones can be applied [11]. Sinusoidal expressions for the real
and imaginary parts of current space vector at pulsation * in
(19) can be synthesized as:

Ai
act
AT
(t) =
3
2
AI
act
AT
cos(e * t
act
AT
)
Ai
react
AT
(t ) =
3
2
AI
react
AT
cos(e *t
react
AT
)
(22)
Their angle displacements can be easily computed by the
envelope of the sinusoidal function obtained projecting the
demodulated current space vector into the rotating reference
frame, avoiding their computation by FFT. These
displacements are very important because they determine the
orientation of the locus described by the current space vector
as will be addressed in section V.

(a) (b)
Fig. 7. Sum and difference of the phasors
T
react
jI
A
and
T
act
I
A
for different
inertia. Left and right sidebands
T
l
I
A
and
T
r
I
A
. Machine 1 (a), 2 (b).

In order to derive the sideband components from the active
and reactive ones, it is convenient to switch from the time-
varying representation to the phasor representation (the
amplitude of the sinusoids is assumed as phasor modulus):

I
l
AT
= I
l
AT
e
j
l
AT
, I
r
AT
= I
r
AT
e
j
r
AT
,
AI
act
AT
= AI
act
AT
e
j
act
AT
, AI
react
AT
= AI
react
AT
e
j
react
AT
,
(23)
it holds:

AI act
AT
= I
AT
l
+ I
r
AT
AI
react
AT
r
= jI
AT
l
jI
r
AT


I l
AT
=
AI
AT
act
jAI
AT
react
2
I
r
AT
=
AI
AT
act
+ jAI
AT
react
2
(24)
Starting from the variables AI
act
AT
, AI
react
AT
,
act
AT
and

react
AT
, the two usual sideband components of the single-phase
current, I
l
AT
, I
r
AT
,
l
AT
and
r
AT
, can be computed. The
displacement between the two sidebands at the same
frequency is now physically meaningful.
Figs. 5 and 6 show some results referred to the tested
motors. Fig. 5(a) (machine 1) and (b) (machine 2) shows the
active and reactive current components and their displacement
(specifically, the lag
T
of

AI
act
AT
over

jAI
react
AT
is reported)
obtained at full load applying an oscillating torque 3%T
rated

with a pulsation similar to that expected in case of rotor fault
(6.3 Hz for machine 1, 2.6 Hz for machine 2) to ease the
comparison of the two effects [16].
Fig. 6 shows the sidebands components and their
displacement, while their computation is visualized in Fig. 7
by phasor diagram. Increasing the inertia value, the current
components decrease, while their displacement stays constant.
In particular,
T
has a quasi-constant value that changes
slightly with the operating conditions as shown in [16]. This
displacement is positive and, moreover, the amplitude AI
act
AT

is always higher than AI
react
AT
. These two features introduce
some peculiarities in the current space vector loci.
The analysis of system performance under the effect of
various factors can be aided by ploting the loci of the current
space vector ( )
s
i t

in the rotating complex plane: it can be
seen both as the composition of the two components Ai
act
AT
(t)
and

Ai
react
AT
(t)

at pulsations *, and of the left and right
counter-rotating components at pulsations * added to the
time-independent term IcosjIsin. Around this point the
space vector describes ellipses with equation:
( )
2 2
2
2 cos sin
T T
T T T T
react act react act
x y x y
I I I I
A A
A A A A
| | | |
+ + = +
| |
\ . \ .
(25)
(a)
(b)
Fig. 8. Loci of the current space vector
s
i

for different inertia values at

full load. Enlargement around the dc value I(cosjsin)=4.47j3.35
(machine 1(a)) and I(cosjsin)=34.5j18.7 (machine 2 (b)).

Being AI
act
AT
> AI
react
AT
, the ellipses are prevalently
developed in the vertical direction and the major axis is rotated
backwards from the real axis by the angle:
2 2
1 1
2 cos
1
arctan
2
1 1
T
T T
react act
T T
react act
I I
I I
o
A
A A
A A
+
A A
=
| | | |

| |
A A
\ . \ .
(26)
This justifies the results presented in [8], [9] according to
the rotation of the main axis depends on the type of fault.
Rotor asymmetries produce ellipses developed in the
horizontal direction (AI
act
AT
< AI
react
AT
) whose minor axis is
rotated forwards from the real one [11], [16].
Fig. 8 reports the current space vector loci for the two
machines corresponding to the conditions of Figs. 5 and 6.
V. TORQUE DISTURBANCE RECONSTRUCTION
The electromagnetic torque oscillation can be expressed as
a function of the new components. Beside the current
oscillation, new flux components are to be expected. The
fundamental flux space vector in the rotating reference frame
is assumed as
/ 2
3/ 2 3/ 2 3/ 2 Isin
j
m
e j j L
t

= = = u

, with a
displacement of -t/2 with respect to the voltage in phase with
the reactive component of the current, considered equal to the
magnetizing current. With regard to the new components, the
voltage drop due to current components is disregarded, while
the reactive component of the current is considered. The flux
space vector is then:
( )
3
sin sin( * )
2
react
T T
m react I
j jL I t e
A A
A
= + uA

(27)
In the e.m. torque
( )
em
T t pi = .

flux and current
oscillations will appear. In the external product only the
orthogonal terms hold, therefore only the active oscillation in
the current are considered and two new components at *
pulsation appear:

T
em
(t) =
3
2
pI cosu+
3
2
p AI
act
AT
cos(e *t +
l
AT
) + AI
react
AT
sin(e *t
AI
react
AT
)

(28)
The e.m. torque oscillation is therefore:

AT
em
(t) =
3
2
p AI
act
AT
cos(e *t +
l
AT
) + AI
react
AT
sin(e *t
react
AT
)

(29)
or, by phasor representation:

ATem =
3
2
p(AI
AT
act
+ jAI
AT
react
) = 3pI
r
AT
(30)
Substituting (30) in (16) the link between current
components and torque disturbance is obtained:
AT em = K
AT
load
K + je * J
=
3
2
p(AI
AT
act
+ jAI
AT
react
) = 3pI
r
AT (31)
and then:

AT
load
=
3
2
K + je * J
K
p(AI
AT
act
+ jAI
AT
react
) = 3
K + je * J
K
pI
r
AT (32)
Relationship (32) allows the computation of torque
disturbance at pulsation e
r
starting from the active and reactive
components of current space vector in the rotating reference
frame. The right current sideband component phasor seems
useful as well, but its displacement computation requires in
any case the active and reactive components of current space
vector.
The procedure can be summarized by the following steps:
- construction of current space vector in the reference
frame rotating at supply pulsation,
- application of FFT to detect the presence of
anomalous components characterized by e* low
pulsations (near the value 2se),
- projection of the demodulated current space vector
into the real and imaginary axes to compute the
displacements of components at pulsation e*,
obtaining AI act
and AI react
phasors,
- computation of the load torque oscillation at
pulsation e* by (32).
The needed parameters are: flux value (approximated by
V/e), slope K of torque-speed characteristic in the operating
point, combined rotor-load inertia J.
The visualization of current space vector locus can be used
to distinguish, through the ellipsis orientation, torque
disturbance from rotor breakage [16].
VI. CONCLUSION
The effect of a low pulsation torque disturbance on the
behaviour of a mains supplied induction machine has been
investigated utilizing machine dynamic model. Suitable
assumptions allow to underline the machine parameters that
influence the machine response, determining the range of
disturbance pulsation and inertia safe from machine
resonance.
In this condition, a simple model can be used to correlate
analytically the input disturbance with the e.m. torque and then
to the components of the current space vector. The analytical
method is supplemented by graphical methods based on the
construction of plots of current space vector.
A complete diagnostic procedure is proposed that allows
detecting and quantifying the torque disturbance starting from
the active and reactive components of the current space vector.
Moreover, analysis of the displacement between these
components avoids any ambiguity about the nature of the
trouble, distinguishing the effects of mechanical unbalance
from those of broken bars.
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Carlo Concari received the M.S. degree in electronics engineering and
the Ph.D. degree in information technology from the University of
Parma, Parma, Italy, in 2002 and 2006, respectively. Since 2006 he is an
Assistant Professor with the Department of Information Engineering,
University of Parma. His research activity is mainly focused on power
electronics, digital drive control, and electric machines diagnostics.
Giovanni Franceschini received the Masters degree in electronic
engineering from the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. In 1990, he
joined the Department of Information Technology, University of Parma,
Italy, as an Assistant Professor where, currently he is a Full Professor of
Electric Machines and Drives. His research interests include high-
performance electric drives and diagnostic techniques for industrial
electric system.
Carla Tassoni received the Masters degree in electrical engineering
from the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. She joined the
Department of Electric Engineering, University of Bologna first as an
Assistant Professor and then as an Associate Professor of Electrical
Machines. She is currently a Full Professor of Electrical Engineering at
the University of Parma. Her main research activities include the
simulation and modeling of electric systems and the application of
diagnostic techniques.