Fault Diagnosis of Induction Motors, Introduction

Abstract

This article is intended as an introduction to the field of induction machine fault diagnosis. Its objective is to give an overview of the problems that arise in this field and the methodologies used to solve them, so that readers are given access to the abundant available technical literature. In the first part of the article, basic concepts and terminology used in this field are introduced. A classification of the different types of faults is made, and the concepts of on‐line, off‐line, stationary or transitory diagnosis, and diagnostic methodologies in the time domain, frequency domain, or the time–frequency domain are explained. The most widely used mathematical tools are also introduced in a conceptual way and are related to the previous concepts. In the second part of the article, a section is dedicated to each of the main types of faults. In each case, the causes of the fault, the consequences, and the physical phenomena they produce are explained. These physical phenomena are the basis of the fault diagnosis techniques, which are explained below. For each type of fault, the most widely used methodologies in the industrial field are presented, and in some cases alternative methods proposed in the literature, aimed at solving specific problems, are also commented. Throughout the article numerous examples based on laboratory tests and measurements obtained under real operating conditions are presented, which facilitate the understanding of the concepts being explained.