Fault Detection and Severity Assessment in PMSMs Using Search Coils Exploiting Machine's Symmetry

Online fault detection is a highly appealing feature for electric drives. Search coils (SCs) have been shown to be a viable option for demagnetization detection for PMSMs. This paper analyses the use of SCs for the detection, classification, and severity assessment of other type of faults, including static, dynamic, and mixed eccentricity, and bearings misalignment. While these faults can be present for practically all electric machine types, the proposed method is specific for PMSMs as it relies on the measurement of magnet field using SCs.
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