Diagnosis of Induction Motor faults using Motor Current Signature Analysis at VIZAG STEEL

By C.Pavan Sameer Kumar, Management Trainee (Technical), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

Abstract
Induction motors are the most widely used electrical drive systems. Hence it is of immense importance to reduce breakdowns of induction motors and prevent unscheduled downtimes. Motor current signature analysis (MCSA) is a condition monitoring technique that is now being widely used to diagnose problems such as broken rotor bars, abnormal levels of air gap eccentricity, shorted turns in low voltage stator windings and certain mechanical problems in an induction motor using stator current on no load. Using MCSA at VIZAG STEEL problems at production units like Coke Oven have been detected at an early stage, thus avoided secondary damage and complete failure of the motor. Detailed case study at VIZAG STEEL showing the complete interpretation of MCSA is presented to aid practicing engineers.

1. INTRODUCTION Induction Motors are a critical component of many industrial processes. Hence it is of immense importance to reduce maintenance costs of induction motors and prevent unscheduled downtimes that result in lost production and financial income. Condition monitoring of the dynamic performance of induction drives received considerable attention in recent years as it is crucial to effective monitoring and increased reliability of the plant. The Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) is considered the most popular fault detection method now a days because it can easily detect the common machine faults such as turn to turn short circuit, cracked /broken rotor bars, bearing deterioration etc.. The present paper discusses the fundamentals of Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) plus condition monitoring of the induction motor using MCSA. It also presents an industrial case study wherein a catastrophic failure of an induction motor (Mill Fan 9 of Coke Oven) at VIZAG STEEL has been avoided by early detection using MCSA and by initiating corrective measures.

2. METHODOLOGY An Industrial case study of condition monitoring using MCSA is presented in the following sections. Section 3 introduces a typical MCSA system, Section 4 deals with problem description, Section 5 proceeds with the effects of cracked rotor bars and collection of data using MCSA, Section 6 deals with the analysis of MCSA data and the results found on dismantling the motor. It also mentions the corrective action initiated. Section 7 proceeds to Conclusion and section 8 include References. 3. MOTOR CURRENT SIGNATURE ANALYSIS (MCSA) Motor current signature analysis is the online analysis of current to detect faults in a threephase induction motor drive. MCSA provides a non-intrusive method for detecting mechanical and electrical problems in motor driven rotating equipment. Motor current analyzer applies techniques to capture frequency signature of electric line current to measure the variation in the flux of the electric motors. The basis for MCSA is that an electric motor driving a mechanical load acts as an efficient, continuously available transducer. The motor senses mechanical load variations and converts them into electrical current variations which can be monitored and recorded at convenient location away from the operating equipment. Periodic MCSA can provide a more subtle indication of rotor condition, distortion, coupling or gear wear etc. Analysis of these variations can provide an indication of machine condition, which may be trended over time to provide an early warning of machine deterioration or process alteration.

Figure1. MCSA System Configuration

3.1.1 HOW MCSA IS USED? Motor current analyzer consists of one current collector clamp probe and one analyzer. Probe collects the data and analyzer analysis the motor input current data with display. Clamps on probe are placed around supply cable of LT motor (CT secondary wire, if available) and for HT motors around CT secondary wire in the MCC panel. A basic MCSA instrumentation system will consist of the following: A current transformer (CT) to sense the signal. A resistive shunt across the output of the CT-note that CTs are available with internal shunts. An MCSA instrument (or spectrum analyzer) to produce the current spectrum or signature. The various faults that may occur in an induction motor, the probable causes, consequences and remedial measures to be taken are indicate below.
Faults in an Induction Motor Abnormality or Component deviation Possible Causes Consequences Stator burn-out Increase in Stator Current Winding Short Over Heating Unbalance Currents More Leakage Current Stator Winding Winding Short Core Damage More Stator Temperature Unbalanced winding Insulation Damage Un-symmetrical currents Early Winding burn-out Reduced Efficiency Reduced Efficiency Reduced Torque Abnormal Noise Rotor Bar break Rotor side Less Torque End Ring break Non-Uniform air-gap Table1. Faults in an Induction Motor Stator-Rotor Rub Fluctuating torque More slip Motor Repair Rotor Repair Air-gap correction Winding Repair Re-insulation Winding Repair Action Required

Winding Repair Core Repair

4. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION At VIZAG STEEL, all HT motors are monitored on a monthly basis to check for any abnormality. The Condition Monitoring Method used is MCSA. MCSA gives information such as percentage of current unbalance, distortion index and delta db value of the induction motor. MCSA conducted on CDCP (Coke Dry Cooling Plant) Mill Fan-9 of Coke Oven(CO) indicated that the delta db value (35.62) is much less than the required norm i.e. 40 db. The Technical Specifications of CDCP Mill Fan-9 are tabulated below.
VSP CO Mill Fan Equipment Details Voltage Current Speed Rating No of Poles Operating Frequency No of Rotor Bars 6.6 KV 71 A 1500 rpm 630 Kw 6 50 Hz 58

Table2. Coke Oven Mill Fan-9 Equipment details

5. CRACKED ROTOR BARS IN INDUCTION MOTOR A broken or cracked rotor bar in the motor create heating & thermal expansion, especially in the core while motor is running under over load or subject to frequent start with longer start time. This will cause Adjacent rotor bars to break Loosening of the broken bar

If the broken bars work out of the motor, then it rubs the stator winding insulation and damage the stator -- that results catastrophic failure. When a squirrel cage induction motor is running with cracked rotor bar, the broken rotor bars will cause localized heating and also cause marginal increase in current in adjacent bars. The motor current signature waveform appearance will have presence of side band peak. The side band peak will appear at a frequency off set from the line

frequency equal to the no. of poles times the slip frequency (NP X SF). The side band peak appearance will help for diagnosing the faulty rotor bars. The amplitude of the side band will increase with the severity of the no. of rotor bar cracks or opened. 5.1 SEVERITY OF CRACKED ROTOR BARS A commonly used indicator of the presence and severity of rotor bar faults is the dB amplitude difference between the amplitude of side band peak and the amplitude of the line frequency 5.1.1 CALCULATION OF SIDE BAND FREQUENCY Let us take an example of a blower motor running with the following parameters. Fr = rotational frequency, Lf = Line frequency, NP = No. of poles, SF = slip frequency LSSB = Lower slip side band of Line frequency. SF = (2* Lf/NP) - Fr Then LSSB = Lf (NP*SF). 5.2 FAULT CRITERIA A general rule of fault criteria of rotor bar crack for Sq. cage motor running with more than 50 % load is The measured delta dB difference between the amplitude of LSSB peak and line frequency peak is of greater than 40 then motor does not have rotor problem If the delta dB is less than 40, indicates starting of degradation of rotor bars, which required to be closed monitoring for trending. If the delta dB value continues to be decreasing, then it is preferred to dismantle the rotor for inspection and do repair work. 6. ANALYSIS OF MCSA DATA The data collected using MCSA technique using current analyzer is as follows. The frequency spectrum is also shown below.

Current Balance Analysis R-Phase Y-Phase B-Phase % Current Unbalance CT Ratio Clip-On CT(V/amp) 42.27 A 40.44 A 40.66 A 2.80% 15 0.005

Table3. Current Analysis of Mill Fan 9 using MCSA

Rotor Bar Analysis Parameter Frequency(Hz) Amplitude(db) Delta(db) LF LSSB 49.67 49.22 21.43 4.19 35.62

Table4. Rotor Bar Analysis of Mill Fan-9 using MCSA

Figure2. The Frequency spectrum of CO Mill Fan-9 collected using MCSA

The current unbalance and distortion index are found to be within limits. After analyzing the measured data it has been inferred that the deviation may be due to cracked rotor bars. It was recommended to check for the rotor bars and rectify 6.1 RESULTS Following the recommendation, the motor was dismantled at CME (Central Maintenance Electrical) of VIZAG STEEL. The results are in sound agreement with the MCSA analysis. On dismantling the motor, cracked rotor bars have been

identified. The Mill Fan Rotor has developed 14 damaged rotor bars with 8 rotor bars having severe cracks. The Mill fan rotor has 72 stator slots and 52 rotor bars. The cracked rotor bars have been brazed and the motor was restored to operation. Thus, using MCSA technique the catastrophic failure of the motor was averted and normal operation restored.

Figures 3, 4 showing cracked rotor bars of CO Mill Fan-9

Figure5. Cracked Rotor bars of Mill Fan-9

7. CONCLUSION Industrial case histories have clearly demonstrated that MCSA is a powerful online monitoring technique for assessing the operational condition of three-phase induction motors. The avoidance of catastrophic failures can be achieved via MCSA and other major benefits include the prevention of lost downtime, avoidance of major motor repair, or replacement costs. Thus, it provides a highly sensitive, selective and costeffective means for online monitoring of a wide variety of heavy industrial machinery thus contributing to increased reliability of the industry.

8. REFERENCES
[1].Motor Current Signature Analysis and its Applications In Induction Motor Fault Diagnosis by Neelam Mehala, Ratna Dahiya. [2].A Review of Induction Motors Signature Analysis as Medium for Faults Detection. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, VOL. 47, NO. 5, October 2000. [3].Motor Current Signature Analysis to detect faults in Induction Motor drives-Fundamentals, Data Interpretation and Industrial Case Histories by William T.Thomson and Ronald J.Gilmore. [4].Reliability Assurance of Large Electric Motors in a Process Plant by D.Edwin Vijay Kumar and Shyam Sundar A , Vizag Steel, India.