The instantaneous reactive power approach for rotor cage fault diagnosis in induction motor drives

In this paper a new detection technique based on the instantaneous reactive power signature analysis is proposed for the diagnosis of rotor cage faults in induction motors drives. Experimental tests were carried out on an induction motor with several faulty rotors and the obtained results corroborate the effectiveness of the instantaneous reactive power approach for the detection of broken rotor bars in inverter-fed induction motors. A suitable fault severity factor is also proposed as an indicator of the condition of the machine.