The current analysis program-a software tool for rotor fault detection in three phase induction motors

This paper shows that it is possible to monitor the supply current to an induction motor during the motors acceleration period and be able to detect the nonstationary frequency components previously monitored whilst stationary during the motors steady state operation. Results show that the increase in component amplitude observed with a faulty rotor when monitoring in steady state under full load conditions can clearly be observed when monitoring the transient signal under no load conditions. Using a signal processing technique known as wavelet decomposition it is shown that the sidebands may be tracked during the transient period. This technique has been simplified and implemented along with a data acquisition system to form a complete current transient health monitoring system which determines the health of the motor from its no load supply current transient signal. The software which controls both the acquisition and analysis part of the monitoring system has been developed so that the operator has access to all main parameters used within the analysis.