Analysis of a Three-Phase Induction Motor with a Double–Triple-Layer Stator Winding Configuration Operating with Broken Rotor Bar Faults

Abstract

This paper presents the performance analysis of a three-phase squirrel cage induction motor (SCIM) with a double–triple-layer (DTL) stator winding configuration operating with broken rotor bar (BRB) faults. The effects of BRB faults on the performance of specific parameters are analyzed under a steady-state regime. The SCIM is modeled using the two-dimensional finite element method (FEM) to study electromagnetic performance under healthy and BRB faulty conditions. To validate the finite element analysis (FEA) results, a prototype of an SCIM with a DTL stator winding configuration is tested for performance evaluation under healthy and BRB faulty conditions. The FEA and experimental (EXP) results of the SCIM with a DTL stator winding arrangement are compared with the results of the SCIM with a conventional double-layer (CDL) stator winding configuration. FEA and EXP results evidenced that the SCIM with a DTL stator winding configuration mitigates some of the adverse effects introduced by the BRB faults compared to the SCIM with a CDL stator winding of the exact specifications. Under loaded conditions, the SCIM with a DTL stator winding configuration reduced the magnitudes of the twice slip frequency sidebands caused by BRB faults from ±1.2 Hz for the SCIM with a CDL stator winding arrangement down to ±0.2 Hz and ±0.36 Hz when operating with 3BRB and 6BRB faults, respectively. The results also indicate that the SCIM with a DTL stator winding configuration has reduced the decibel sideband magnitude by 7.5 dB and 8 dB for unloaded and loaded conditions, respectively. This premise has positioned the SCIM with a DTL stator winding configuration as a strong candidate in applications where BRB faults are frequent, and the motor may be required to continue operating with a BRB fault until scheduled maintenance is in effect.