A Simplified Indirect Technique for the Measurement of Mechanical Power in Three-Phase Asynchronous Motors

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents an indirect method for measuring the mechanical power produced by three-phase induction motors. The proposed technique is based on the hypothesis that three-phase induction motors are balanced systems that transform electrical power into mechanical one. The measurement of a single phase current is used to estimate the mechanical power generated at the axis. The relationship between electric current and mechanical power is generally non-linear. By expressing the quantities in p.u., this trend is approximated with a second order polynomial. From the analysis of the mechanical power characteristics related to 13 motors we obtained the parameters of the interpolating parabolic curves of motors from 1.1 kW to 75 kW rated power. The proposed technique can be easily adopted in order to monitor the mechanical power of three phase induction motors using only one phase current transducer. Starting from the motor nameplate no experimental measurement or other data are necessary to estimate the mechanical power. This technique can be widely used in low cost multipoint measurement system able to monitor the mechanical power where no other transducer or voltage divider are necessary.