Motor condition and performance analyzer
AssigneeCrane Nuclear, Inc.
InventorsMartin Joseph Dowling, George Fox Lang, Binish Praful Desai, Louis Ricciuti, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of detecting broken rotor bars including sensing currents applied to the motor, converting the senses signals to digital data signals, and storing the digital data signals. A processor evaluates the digital data to provide a current signal spectrum at various selected sidebands. Sideband peaks having an amplitude within a predetermined value are identified, indicating potential motor problems or developing problems, including winding faults and broken rotor bars. Advanced signal processing techniques are used to further evaluate stored data and to provide trending information.
Claims3
A method of identifying broken rotor bars in a polyphase induction motor, the motor including a number of pole pairs, by using an electrical signature of the motor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) simultaneously sensing an instantaneous current signal supplied to the motor as a function of time over a period of time for at least one electrical phase of the motor;
- (b) performing a Fourier Transform on the sensed current signal over at least a portion of the period of time to provide a current signal spectra;
- (c) locating a peak in the current signal spectrum at a fifth harmonic of line frequency;
- (d) locating a peak in the current signal spectrum at a fifth harmonic sideband of fline (5-2·s);
- (e) locating a peak in the current signal spectrum at a fifth harmonic sideband of fline (5-4·s);
- (f) locating a peak of the current signal spectrum at a fifth harmonic sideband of fline (5-6·s);
- (g) identifying the sideband peaks having an amplitude within a predetermined value of an amplitude of the located fifth harmonic peak, said identified sideband peaks indicating a broken rotor bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.