EVS26
Los Angeles, California, May 6-9, 2012
C. P. Wong
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA,
cp.wong@mse.gatech.
Abstract
Electric vehicle (EV) motors are subject to extreme and variable loads, resulting in degradation of winding
insulation due to high temperatures. This paper describes research on a new conductive composite sensor,
which uses insulation resin as a matrix of the sensor element. The sensor, embedded in the windings of EV
motors, will provide data on remaining design life of the insulation based on actual vehicle operational and
environmental conditions. Improved condition monitoring of the insulation systems of high-performance
EV motors can reduce in-use failures by identifying prematurely degraded insulation systems, and
providing data for quality improvement programs.
Keywords: Electric vehicle condition monitoring, electric motor condition monitoring, electric insulation condition
monitoring, electric motor insulation
EVS26 International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium 1
World Electric Vehicle Journal Vol. 5 - ISSN 2032-6653 - © 2012 WEVA Page 0542
The degradation mechanisms of modern The figure below shows the effect of the
insulation systems are complex and are highly volume fraction of the conductive filler on
dependent on the actual environmental and resistivity of the sensor. As the sensor “ages,” the
operational conditions of the component. matrix (insulation) shrinks, increasing the volume
Current methods to measure insulation system fraction of the conductive filler. As the volume
degradation are often complex, expensive and fraction of the conductive filler of the sensor
require specialized training to interpret. increases, the resistivity decreases as the sensor
continues to age.
This paper summarizes the results of
research conducted on condition monitoring
sensors for high performance epoxy and
polyester insulation systems in nuclear power
plant electrical equipment. This work is also
applicable to electric vehicles and other high
performance motors and generators. The
research was conducted by Polymer Aging
Concepts, Inc., and the School of Materials
Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute
of Technology. [3, 4]
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World Electric Vehicle Journal Vol. 5 - ISSN 2032-6653 - © 2012 WEVA Page 0543
Epoxy A Aging
Resistance vs. Age Time
1.00E+07
1.00E+06
Sensor Resistance, Ohms
1.00E+05
O Ave, 210C
O Ave, 240C
1.00E+04 O Ave, 260C
O Ave, 280C
1.00E+03
1.00E+02
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Aging Hours
Figure 6: Packaged insulation sensors for installation
Figure 4: Effect of aging temperature on epoxy in electrical motors and generators. The packages
insulation sensor resistance. Note significantly provide “breathing” for the sensor elements so that
faster rate of resistance change with higher they “see” the same environment as the insulation.
temperatures. The photograph below shows an insulation sensor
The figure below shows the Arrhenius behavior installed in a fractional horsepower electric motor
of epoxy insulation sensors based on the time for for testing. The sensor is attached to the end
resistance to decrease to a selected value at windings so that the sensor experiences a similar
multiple temperatures. The graph also shows temperature and atmospheric environment as the
thermal endurance data (destructive testing of insulation itself.
winding formettes) at multiple temperatures for a
6000 horsepower motor. Good Arrhenius
behavior of the sensors allows modeling of the
target insulation from sensor resistance data.
T, ˚C
100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300
1.00E+06 6
5.5
1.00E+05 5
4.5
Average Life, Hours
3.5
MFG. IEEE
1.00E+03 3 275 Test Data
2.5
1.00E+02 2
1.5
1.00E+01 1
Figure 7: Insulation sensor attached to the end
2.65 2.55 2.45 2.35 2.25
1000/T, k^-1
2.15 2.05 1.95 1.85 1.75
windings of a fractional horsepower electric motor.
The sensor experiences a similar thermal and
Figure 5: Arrhenius graph of destructive thermal atmospheric environment as the winding insulation.
endurance test data for a motor insulation and
epoxy sensor degradation data from resistance
measurements. Good Arrhenius behaviour of the The photograph below shows the sensor of Figure
sensor data allows accurate modelling of insulation 7, connected to test points on a motor, being
degradation. measured by a field ohmmeter. A conversion
chart, attached to the motor converts resistance
The figure below shows packaged insulation readings to percent remaining design life of the
sensors. The packages allow “breathing” so that insulation based on actual motor operation and
the sensor element “sees” the same environment environmental conditions. In other applications,
as the insulation itself. the insulation sensor can be connected to an
existing wired or wireless condition monitoring
system by use of resistance-to-remaining life
conversion algorithms.
EVS26 International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium 3
World Electric Vehicle Journal Vol. 5 - ISSN 2032-6653 - © 2012 WEVA Page 0544
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World Electric Vehicle Journal Vol. 5 - ISSN 2032-6653 - © 2012 WEVA Page 0545
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