A Comparative Study of MCSA and ZSV-Based Methods for Diagnosing Inter-Turn Short-Circuit Faults in Induction Motors

Stator winding problems are widely known as the most common cause of induction motor breakdowns. In fact, these defects account for 20% to 40% of all problems in induction motor. One of the primary reasons for stator issues is inter-turn short-circuit faults, which can have severe and hazardous effects on both the motor and the connected electrical equipment. Therefore, early detection of inter-turn short-circuit faults can prevent breakdowns and enhance the reliability and safety of industrial facilities. In this context, this paper conducts a comparative study of two methods used to diagnose the ITSC fault in induction motors. The first method relies on motor current signature analysis (MCSA), whereas the second method focuses on monitoring the Zero-Sequence Voltage (ZSV). Several tests were performed on a three-phase 1.1-kW induction motor under both normal and faulty conditions. The obtained results illustrate the advantages of the ZSV analysis over the MCSA method in terms of reliability, rapidity and precision for diagnosing the occurrence of ITSC faults.