Dynamic eccentricity in squirrel cage induction motors - Simulation and analytical study of its spectral signatures on stator currents

Most of faults in three-phase induction motors have relationship with airgap eccentricity. There are two forms of airgap eccentricity: static (SE) and dynamic (DE). According to the literatures, the well known signatures of dynamic eccentricity, on the stator current spectra, are sidebands around the principal slot harmonics (PSH). However, many other researches have shown that DE induces also spectral components around the fundamental, but few are reported on the sources and the causes of these components. In this direction and since it is difficult to study experimentally the DE separately from the SE; the present paper attempts to explain, analytically and by simulation, the generation process of all frequency components that are a function of only DE. For that reason, a detailed analytical study for three-phase induction motors working under DE is performed. This study is based on rotating field approach. A general theoretical analysis of the interaction between all harmonics of the eccentric airgap permeance and the stator and rotor MMF components is put forward. The simulation results, obtained from an accurate model, confirm the existence of specific frequency components around the fundamental, caused by the dynamic airgap eccentricity. The interactions between the DE and the inherent SE are also illustrated using this mathematical model. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.