DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF INDUCTION MOTOR

THERMAL MONITORING SYSTEM

H. Hafezi, A. Jalilian
Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

ABSTRACT
Rotor and stator temperature rise in induction motors is considered to be a major cause of motor insulation degradation
and motor failures. In most cases, it is necessary to monitor rotor bars and stator windings to make sure that their
temperature remains below the allowable limits. In this paper, design and implementation of a temperature measuring
system suitable for three-phase induction motors is described. The system contains two parts, rotating and stationary. In
this work, digital temperature sensors are installed on rotor and stator windings. The data from the thermal sensors on
the rotor is digitized using electronic parts and transmitted via light through IR receiver and transmitter between the
rotor and the stator. A data acquisition system is employed for capturing data from electronic parts to PC for further
analysis and monitoring purposes. Implementation of the monitoring system on a 5.5 kW 3-phase squirrel cage
induction motor is described. Temperature rise in rotor bars and stator windings are monitored under no load and locked
rotor conditions. It is shown that the system is capable for thermal monitoring of the test motor under various supply
and load conditions.
Keywords: Induction motor, thermal monitoring, temperature sensor, thermal modeling.

1. INTRODUCTION stationary parts is relatively easy, but difficult for the

Squirrel cage induction motors are the most important
ac machines in industries. Low cost, high reliability,
low inertia and high transient torque capacity are
among the advantages of these motors. Many resources
show that the majority of motor failures are caused by
stator insulation breakdown. Overheating is one of the
major causes of the stator winding insulation
degradation in small induction machines [1]. The
insulation life time in year can be approximated by
keao, where kh7.15x 104 a is 0.08 and 0 is insulation
temperature in 'C. If motor temperature increases from
100°C to 105°C, insulation life decreases from 24 to 16
years. In order to extend the insulation life time, it is
critical to monitor the stator winding and rotor
temperature and protect the motor under thermal
overloading conditions. Motor stall, jam, overload,
unbalanced operation etc are some example of thermal
stress on induction motors [2]. Moreover, motor
heating can also be increased in situations where the
cooling ability of the motor is accidentally reduced.
Thermal modeling provides a flexible and accurate
way for motor temperature estimation; however, it
cannot respond to the changes in the motor thermal
characteristics [3]. The stator temperature can also be
estimated based on the stator resistance measurement
[4-5]. It is reported that, this method can provide
temperature estimation that is capable of responding to
the changes in the thermal characteristics of the motor
[4]. The limitation of this method is its disability to
measure rotor resistance directly.
Another accurate method deals with the direct
measurement of motor heating using temperature
sensors installed in stator windings and rotor parts
[6, 7]. In this method, temperature monitoring of
rotating parts. Three methods are reported for
transmitting data from motor rotating parts where slip-
rings [6], optical facilities [7] and wireless wave [9] can
be used respectively.
In one method [6], in order to read the signal from the
rotor sensors, three slip-rings were installed on the rotor
shaft and the corresponding brushes were connected to
the temperature measuring system. The problem for this
method is that the number of slip-rings are equal to the
number of sensors, thus a limited number of sensors can
be used in rotor. In other method, the signal from the
temperature sensors on the rotor is digitized and
transmitted via light through a coaxial optical fiber. The
main advantage of this kind of data transmission is
immunity to electromagnetic interference. However,
construction of such a system is difficult and costly.
In this paper, detailed deign and contraction of a thermal
monitoring system for an induction machine using
several temperature sensors installed in the rotor and
stator is presented. In this work, the information from the
sensors on the rotor is digitized and transmitted via light
through IR receiver. Temperature measurements were
accompanied with a computer data acquisition system for
precise investigation of machine's thermal process.
Heating curves were obtained and analyzed in different
parts of machine under various operating conditions.
2. MEASURMENT SYSTEM
The overall structure of the designed system is shown in
Figure 1. It contains two parts, namely rotating part and
stationary part. Description of each part is given in the
following sections.

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 2.2 Temperature sensor
Converting
The temperature measurement is performed by the
Ti Elertric application of digital temperature sensor SMT1 60. It is a
Micro Signals three terminal integrated temperature sensor, with a duty
Micro

U 3
x perocessor to Light cycle output. Two terminals are used for the power
T2 supply of 5V and the third terminal indicates the output
signal. A duty cycle modulated output is used because
this output is interpretable by a micro-processor without
A-D converter, while the analogue information is still
Ti available. The SMT160 (TO1 8 model) has an overall
Micro R accuracy of 0.7°C in the range from -30°C to +100°C
T2
XM perocessor and an accuracy of 1.2°C from -45 to +140'C. Accord ing
U3 to its data sheet, the SMT1 60 combines digital output
E
X 2 and on-chip calibration to ensure major cost reductions
T4 and performance-related advantages.

; v ~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -IIII

t I Light 40
I I
L4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4
t Electl ic < _ 4 0 X11 -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4
.21 I.I
i20
DI 0.4 0.6 9 .S
)Duty ccle
Figure 1. Overall structure of the designed
temperature monitoring system
rotating part (top), stationary part (bottom)
2.1 Rotating part
The devatice
The device for the temperature
forthe tmeaue measuring
esrnothrtrof the rotor As stated in the specifications, the square-wave output
sina is a'eprtr-eedn dt ylssoni
consists of part that mechanically connected to the
rotor (figure l.a). This
rotor(figre1.a). his part
art contains
ontais seeral
several
signal ahtemperature-dependentuduty cyclelasDshownii
Figure
is
3. The duty cycle of the output signal (D. C.) iS
lieryeatdothtmpaue 1as
temperature sensors, a multiplexer, a microcontroller l r
and electric signal to optical converter. The D.C. =0.320+0.00470XT (1)
microcontroller scans sensor's output by multiplexer,
then the thermal data is processed by microcontroller It can be easily shown that at 0 'C, D.C. 0.320 or
and sent to "electric signal to light converter" block.
Thermal data in this block is coded and transmitted by
32.0° and at 130 °C D.C.= 0.931 or 93.1 °/
a
IR LED installed on the centre of the shaft end where a 2.3 Electric signal to light converter
phototransistor is fixed. Thus, a series of light impulses Due to their resistance to electromagnetic interference
can be send to stationary part of the device where light
to signal converter is present (figure 2). The CD4051 DEMto cinraredLEs aes chosentin
mn isnpojet.
(EMI), infrared LEDs are chosen tthis project A
multiplexer and PIC 16f84A microcontroller iS usedl in siplciciXa eindtcnetTLsgast
this application. as shown Figure 4. Passing pulse train of current
through the IR inLED
light produces light pulses which can be
transmitted to a receiver.

IR Receiver & Tranismitter

±5

3300

Electronic Dece
Rotor T2 Shaft \1KQ

Figure 2. Temperature measurement on the rotor

Figure 4. Conversion of electric signal to light

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2.4 Stationary part
This part consists of an IBM PC compatible computer
equipped board with I/O, CD4051 multiplexer,
PIC16f84A microcontroller, and an optical to electric
signal converter with serial RS232 interface. All other
tasks related to the measurement, communication with
instruments and data acquisition are performed by the
PC. The software for performing all mentioned
2.6 Location of sensors
Six temperature sensors were used in this work, two of
them were placed in the rotor and three sensors were
placed in 3 phase stator windings as shown in Figure 7.
For ambient temperature measurement one sensor is
used.

language. The simplified function diagram is shown in

Figure lb. The light pulses transmitted from the
rotating part, is converted to electric signal and sent to
microcontroller for decoding and data processing. Also
microcontroller scans the stator sensors by multiplexer
and send to RS232 block along with the rotor
temperature data. In this block, the TTL signal is
converted to RS232 format by IC MAX232 as shown
in Figure 5.
WC

C6 . i ISupt
I LF +% W C
+142

FTigue5TTsinals
toiRS232 adapt eri pr

2.5 Receiverg H g E H LLD

receives light pulses where a small current is generated

there is no light pulse, V111 is higher than Voffset, and

output voltage becomes low. When light pulses are Figure 7. Location of temperature sensors
present, V1i becomes smaller than Voffset, thus output Rotor (top), Stator (bottom)
becomes high.
In this circuit (emitter and receiver), the maximum _ e _
sarpling possibility is only limited by use of RS232genera

maximum baud rat of 19200 bps which iS enough for__

thermal measurement (thse,Vinisapplicaer
tio nVffsFiu n). Designe temperat uremensys
becomes high. ~ ~ ~ sina

Inhiscirui (eite an Figree.iDsigedtemerauremesurmenisyte

at highspeed
frequency,
but the Rmountedpontmotorhshaf
Lutput voltage becomes low. Vvlhen ight pulses are Rotor on motor(botto

Figure 6. Conversion light to electric signal circuit

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 3. EXPRIMENTAL RESULTS
3.2 Locked rotor tests
This system has been mounted on a 3-phase 5.5 kW In order to check the performance of the constructed
squirrel-cage induction motor with ratings summarized thermal monitoring system, several tests were performed
in appendix I. Figure 8 shows a view of the designed under locked rotor test conditions (ie different short
system and experimental setup. In order to monitor circuit currents). The heating curves for two tests (ie
motor temperature at different loading conditions, Ia=3A, at 40V and Ia=I lA, at 170V) are shown in Figure
several tests were carried out. These tests consist of no 11 and 12 respectively.
load test, locked rotor test, and load test as described in It can be seen that the rotor and stator temperature has
the following sections. Preliminary test results showed become to 120°C and 90°C respectively for 25 minutes
the mechanical solidity of the constructed system at in the first test. For the second test, the temperature the
high speed (about 3000 rpm). rotor and stator temperature rise has become to 1 10°C
3.1 No load test
Motor temperature rise at rotor and stator under no
and
105°C
after only 3 minutes. The cooling process is
also performed by running the no load motor, to decrease
load conditions is shown in Figure 9. As expected, temperature to about 30C for 30 minutes as shown in
temperature rises in both rotor and stator is low Figure 12. are also
because of the small current at no load. After about I
More tests performed and relevant results were
hour, the average temperature measured at stator obtained. The ability of the given system for motor
winding is about 30tC (29tC to 3mtC for different thermal monitoring with reasonable accuracy is
windings). The difference is considered to be due to the determined using test results. Further development of the
location of sensors and their firmness contact to the system is under consideration for both hardware and
software parts. It is planned to investigate the thermal
windings. Rotor temperature, however,
windings. Rotor however increased to behavior of the test motor under unbalanced and
about 320C after motor running for one hour. Thermal harmonically distorted supply conditions.
equilibrium is estimated to be reached after 3 hours.

150- -or tlmp0

35 ~~~~~~~~~~~~rotor
templ --rotor tem p2
--rotor temp2

=2:Lf~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-- - - --- -

_ _ _ __oL _ _ L _ _ I _

10 20 0 40 E0 601 52
0210520 30 40 SO 60 °o S 1O 1S 20 25 30
hmne (minute) time(minute)

45 40 10
5 a ---'sta
lSO__ -ambient temp

E 20 $

o -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O 5 10 15 20 25 30
15 ________tim (minue) time(minute)
o0 1 20 30 40 50 60
time(minute) Figure 10. Motor temperature rise at locked rotor test
Figure 9. Motor temperature rise at no load test Ia=3A, 40V, rotor (top) stator and ambient (bottom)
rotor (top), stator and ambient (bottom)

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 120 6.APPENDIX I

o100o Parameters of the test machine

noload tr Type: 132M2A, 3-phase, 5.5 kW, 50 Hz, 380V, 12.5 A,
80~~~ ~ ~ ~~~~~rtrep 0.81 pf, 2850 rpm.

~60 7. REFERENCES
a Locked rotor
E t Lockedrotor > ^ , 1.l 1. A.H. Bonnett, and G.C.Soukup, "Cause and analysis
H 40 of stator and rotor failures in three-phase squirrel-
cage induction motors," IEEE Trans Ind. App., vol.
20 j- 28, no. 4, pp. 921-937, 1992.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
time(minute) 2. S.F. Farag, R.G. Bartheld, and W.E. May,
"Electronically enhanced low voltage motor
120 7.7
protection and control," IEEE Trans. Ind. App.,
-ambient temp
..

A -statortempl vol.30, no. 3, pp. 776-784, 1994.

100 - statortemp2
X jl \ -statortemp3 3. K.D. Hurst, and T.G. Habetler, "Thermal
a80 / noload monitoring and parameter tuning scheme for
° I % / induction machines," Conf Rec. IEEE-IAS, vol. 1,
a60 pp. 136-142, 1997.
%
Loked rotor
Sang-bin Lee and Thomas G. Habetler "An on-line
,

40 Lj lv rrr-;u-eri^_ > 2 4. stator winding resistance estimation technique for

- ____ - ____ - ____ - ____ - temperature monitoring of line-connected induction
20 Ich
machines"IEEE
n s
"
E
2001.
,
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
time(minute)
Figure 11. Motor temperature rise under 5. R.Beguenane, M.E.H.Benbouzid, "Induction motor
locked rotortestmwithuIa=lA at 70V thermal monitoring by means of rotor resistance
rotor (top) stator and ambient (bottom) identification", IEEE Tran on EC ,vol. 14, No. 3,
September 1999.
4. CONCLUSIONS
6. M. Benhaddadi, R. Khaldi, M.benghanem
In this paper, design and construction of a thermal "Experimental study of heating in induction motors
monitoring system capable of an induction machine by PWM inverter" IEEE Instrumentation and
temperature measurement is described. The designed Measurement Technology Conference, Ottawa,
and implemented system uses an optical link for data Canada, May 19- 21, 1997
transmission from a rotating shaft without physical
contact. Immunity to electromagnetic interface (EMI) 7. YAHOUI, Hamed, GRELLET Guy " Measurement
is one of the advantages of this method. Digital of Physical signal in rotating part of electrical
temperature sensors were installed at rotor and stator machine by means of optical fiber transmission"
windings. The role electronic parts including IEEE 1996.
multiplexer and microcontroller is described in this
paper. Mechanical strength of the system mounted on 8. ERuppert Filho, R.R. Richi, E.Avolio, "Automatic
rotor was tested by running the motor at high speed three-phase squirrel-cage induction motor test
(about 3000 rpm). Preliminary no load and locked rotor assembly for motor thermal behavior studies" IEEE
test results indicated the suitability of the system for 1995.
thermal monitoring of an induction motor with
reasonable accuracy. Thermal behavior of motor under
various supply and load conditions can be investigated AUTHOR'S ADDRESS
using this system.
Dr. A. Jalilian is assistant professor with the Power
Group of Department of Electrical Engineering, Iran
5. ACKNOWLEDGMENT University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran,
Technical support from Mr.Mahoutchi, Mr.Talebi, and 16844, Iran. He is also a member of Centre of Excellence
Mr. Nourhosseini, staff members of JUST Department for Power System Automation and Control.
of Electrical Engineering is gratefully acknowledged. Email: jalilian()iust.ac.ir

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