Machine health and condition monitoring are billion-dollar concerns for industry. Quality control and continuous improvement are some of the most important factors for manufacturers to consider in order to maintain a successful business. When work floor interruptions occur, engineers frequently employ “Band-Aid” fixes due to resource, timing, or technical constraints without solving for the root cause. Thus, a need for quick, reliable, and accurate fault detection and diagnosis methods are required. Within complex rotating machinery, a fundamental component that accounts for large amounts of downtime and failure involves a very basic yet crucial element, the rolling-element bearing. A worn-out bearing constitutes to some of the most drastic failures in any mechanical system next to electrical failures associated with stator windings. The cyclical motion provides a way for measurements to be taken via vibration sensors and analyzed through signal processing techniques. Methods will be discussed to transform these acquired signals into usable input data for neural network training in order to classify the type of fault that is present within the system. With the wide-spread utilization and adoption of neural networks, we turn our attention to the growing field of sequence-to-sequence deep learning architectures. Language based models have since been adapted to a multitude of tasks outside of text translation and word prediction. We now see powerful Transformers being used to accomplish generative modeling, computer vision, and anomaly detection -- spanning across all industries. This research aims to determine the efficacy of the Transformer neural network for use in the detection and classification of faults within 3-phase induction motors for the automotive industry. We require a quick turnaround, often leading to small datasets in which methods such as data augmentation will be employed to improve the training process of our time-series signals. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation a new type of electrical machine, a Radial Flux Air-Cored Permanent Magnet machine with a Double-sided Rotor and utilising concentrated, non-overlapping windings, is proposed. The concept of the Double-sided Rotor Radial Flux Air-Cored Permanent Magnet machine, or RFAPM machine for short, was derived from the Double-sided Rotor Axial Flux Air-Cored Permanent Magnet (AFAPM) machine. One of the problems that AFAPM machines experience, is the deflection of the rotor discs due to the strong magnetic pull of the permanent magnets, especially with double-sided rotor machines. The main advantage of a RFAPM machine over a AFAPM machine is that the rotor back-iron is cylindrically shaped instead of disk shaped. Due to the structural integrity of a cylinder, the attraction force between the two rotors does not come into play any more. The focus of this dissertation is on a thorough analytical analysis of the Double-Sided Rotor RFAPM machine. With the RFAPM being an air-cored machine, the feasibility to develop a linear, analytical model, to accurately predict the radial flux-density and hence the induced EMF in the stator windings, as well as the accurate calculation of the developed torque of the machine, needed to be investigated. The need for a thorough analytical examination of the Double-Sided Rotor RFAPM machine stemmed from the need to reduce the blind reliance on Finite Element Modelling (FEM) software to calculate the back-EMF and torque produced by these machines. Another problem experienced with the FEM software was to obtain accurate torque results. Excessive ripple torque oscillations were sometimes experienced which took a considerable amount of time to minimise with constant refinement to the meshing of the machine parts. Reduction in the mesh element size unfortunately also added to the simulation time. The requirement for an accurate analytical model of the RFAPM machine was also necessary in order to reduce the amount of time spent on successive FEM simulation to obtain the optimum pole arc width of the permanent magnet in order to minimise the harmonic content of the radial flux-density distribution in the the stator windings. In this dissertation, the use of single-layer and double-layer, non-overlapping, concentrated winding for the RFAPM machine is also investigated. It was decided to include a comparison of these two non-overlapping winding configurations with a “hypothetical” concentrated, overlapping winding configuration. This would allow us to gauge the effectiveness of using nonoverlapping winding with respect to the reduction in copper losses as well as in the reduction in copper volume. It would also allow us to investigate the extent of how much the developed torque is affected by using non-overlapping windings instead of overlapping windings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif word ’n nuwe tipe elektriese masjien, ’n Radiale-vloed Lugkern Permanent Magneet Masjien met ’n dubbelkantige rotor en nie-oorvleuelende Windings voorgestel. Die konsep vir die Radiale-vloed Lugkern Permanent Magneet Masjien, of RVLPM vir kort, is afgelei vanaf die Dubbelkantige Rotor, Aksiale-vloed Lugkern (AVLPM) masjien. Een van die probleme wat met AVLPM masjiene ondervind word, is die defleksie van die rotorjukke as gevolg van die sterk aantrekkingskragte van die permanente magnete, veral in dubbelkantige rotor masjiene. Die hoof voordeel wat die RVLPM masjien inhou bo die AVLPM masjien, is die feit dat die RVLPM se rotorjukke silindries is in plaas van ronde skywe. As gevolg van die strukturele integriteit van ’n silinders, speel die aantrekkingskrag van die permanente magnete nie meer ’n rol nie. Die fokus van die proefskrif gaan oor die deeglike analitiese analise van die dubbelkantige RVLPM masjien. Weens die feit dat die RVLPM masjien ’n lugkern masjien is, is daar besluit om ondersoek in te stel na die moontlikheid om ’n lineêre, analitiese model vir die masjien op te stel waarmee die radiale-vloeddigtheid, teen-EMK asook die ontwikkelde draaimoment vir die masjien akkuraat bereken kan word. Die behoefde aan ’n akkurate analitiese model vir die dubbelkantige rotor RVLPM masjien is om die blinde vertroue te elimineer wat daar in Eindige-Element Modellering (EEM) sagteware gestel word om die teen-EMK en ontwikkelde draaimoment van die RVLPM masjien uit te werk. ’n Verdere probleem wat daar met EEM sagteware ondervind is, is die akkurate berekening van die ontwikkelde draaimoment. Oormatige rimpel draaimoment ossillasies is soms ondervind wat heelwat tyd geverg het om te minimeer, deur voortdurende verfyning van die EEM maas in die verskillende dele van die masjien. Soos die maas egter kleiner word, verleng dit die simulasie tyd van die EEM aansienlik. Nog ’n rede vir ’n akkurate analitiese model van die RVLPM masjien, is om vinnige metode te verkry om die optimale permanente magneet pool hoekwydte te verkry, wat die minste Totale Harmoniese Vervorming (THV) in die radiale-vloeddigtheidsdistribusie in die statorgebied sal veroorsaak, sonder om herhaaldelike EEM simulasies te loop. In die proefskrif word die gebruik van enkellaag en dubbellaag, nie- oorvleuelende, gekonsentreerde wikkelings vir die RVLPM masjien ook ondersoek. Daar is besluit om hierdie twee nie-oorvleuelende windingskonfigurasies met ’n “hipotetiese” gekonsentreerde, oorvleuelende windingskonfigurasie te vergelyk. Dit behoort ons in staat te stel om die doeltreffendheid van nie-oorvleuelende windings te bepaal, met betrekking tot die afname in koperverliese asook die afname in kopervolume. Verder sal dit ons in staat stel om ook mate waartoe die ontwikkelde draaimoment deur nie-oorvleuelende windings beïnvloed word, te ondersoek.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The position sensorless controllability of the reluctance synchronous machine (RSM) is investigated in this thesis with the focus on industry applications where variable and dynamic torque is required from startup up to rated speed. Two low speed as well as one medium to high speed position sensorless control (PSC) method for RSMs are investigated. These methods are extended to operate in the entire rated speed region with a hybrid PSC structure that makes use of phase locked-loop synchronisation and a hysteresis changeover method. It is shown in this thesis that PSC of the lateral rib rotor RSM is not possible from zero up to ± 0.2 p.u current. It is shown through finite element (FE) simulations that PSC of the ideal rotor RSM however, is possible at zero reference current. A novel construction method is used to build two ideal rotor RSMs. Measured flux linkage curve results of the ideal rotor RSMs correlate well with simulation results and it is shown that the electrical angle of the machine can be tracked successfully at zero reference current. The FE simulation package is used to compare the saliency of the RSM on a per-unit scale to three types of field intensified permanent magnet (FI-PM) synchronous machines and a field weakening interior permanent magnet synchronous machine. It is shown that the saliency of the RSM is larger than that of the investigated PM machines from zero up to rated load. It is thus concluded that the RSM is well suited to saliency-based PSC (SB-PSC) methods, which are used to control synchronous machines at startup and low speeds. The hybrid PSC methods developed in this thesis, are tested and evaluated on three proposed industry applications. The first is a reluctance synchronous wind generator with an inverter output LC filter. The LC filter allows long cables to be used and reduces the voltage stress on the stator windings of the machine. The combination of the LC filter and hybrid PSC method allows the power electronics and controller to be stationed in the base of the turbine tower. A new stator quantity estimation method is derived to omit the need of current and voltage sensors on the machine side of the LC filter. Good maximum power point tracking laboratory results are shown with the high frequency injection-assisted hybrid PSC method. The second application investigated is a position sensorless controlled variable gear electric vehicle (EV) RSM drive. Simulation and measured results show good torque capabilities of the position sensorless controlled EV RSM. It is shown through simulation results that the fundamental current harmonic is dominant in the demodulation scheme of the high frequency injection position sensorless control (HFIPSC) method due to the high current rating of the proposed RSM. The HFI-PSC method is extended to reduce the effect of the fundamental current harmonic in the demodulation scheme without adding any additional filters. The final investigated application is a novel mine scraper winch, which uses two position sensorless controlled RSMs to retrieve ore from the blast site underground. The new design improves on the safety, efficiency and durability of the current scraper winch design. Measured results show that the position sensorless controlled winch RSM is able to deliver rated startup torque with both investigated SB-PSC methods. Finally an automation method is implemented and tested to limited the applied force on the scraper and automatically free itself when stuck. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die posisie sensorlose beheer eienskappe van die reluktansie sinchroonmasjien (RSM) word in hierdie tesis ondersoek met die fokus op industriële toepassings waar varierende dinamiese draaimoment vereis word vanaf stilstand tot by ken spoed. Twee lae spoed- en een ho¨e spoed posisie sensorlose beheer (PSB) metodes vir RSMe is ondersoek. Hierdie metodes is uitgebrei om twee hibriede PSB metodes to skep wat die RSM van stilstand tot by kenspoed posisie sensorloos kan beheer. Die ontwikkelde hibriede metodes maak gebruik van ’n histerese oorskakelings skema en fase geslote lus sinchronisasie Daar word in hierdie tesis bevestig dat die laterale rib RSM nie beheer kan word met die geondersoekte PSB metodes by nul stroom nie. Eindige element simulasie resultate wys egter daarop dat die ideale rotor RSM wel beheer kan word met die geondersoekte metodes by nul stroom. ’n Nuwe konstruksie metode is voorgestel om twee ideale rotor RSMe to bou. Gemete vloed omsluiting kurwes resultate korreleer baie goed met dié van die eindige element simulasies. Gemete resultate wys ook daarop dat PSB van die nuwe masjiene moontlik is by nul stroom. ’n Eindige element pakket is gebruik om die speek-koëffissiënt van die RSM te vergelyk met drie tipes veld-versterkte permanent magneet masjiene, asook een veld verswakte permanent magneet versinkte masjien. Die simulasie resultate wys dat die RSM se speek-koëffissiënt hoër is as die van die geondersoekte permanent magneet masjiene. Die RSM is dus geskik vir speek-koëffissiënt georienteerde PSB metodes, wat hoofsaaklik by stilstand en lae spoed gebruik word. Die ontwikkelde hibried PSB metodes is getoets en geëvalueer met drie voorgestelde industriële toepassings. Die eerste is ’n reluktansie sinchroon wind generator met ’n omsetter uittree laagdeurlaat filter. Die laagdeurlaat filter laat toe dat langer kabels vanaf die omsetter na die generator gebruik kan word. Die kombinasie van die laagdeurlaat filter en die PSB metodes laat toe dat die drywingselektronika en die beheerders in die toring basis geplaas kan word. Dit kan die gewig van die nasel verminder. Goeie maksimum drywingspunt volging laboratorium resultate word getoon met die hoë frekwensie ondersteunde hibried PSB metode. Die tweede geondersoekte toepassing is ’n posisie sensorlose beheerde, varierende ratkas elektriese voertuig RSM. Goeie simulasie en gemete draaimoment resultate van die RSM word getoon. Simulasie resultate toon dat die fundamentele q-as stroom harmoniek dominant is in die demodulasie skema van die hoë frekwensie PSB metode, as gevolg van die hoë ken stroom van die motor. Die hoë frekwensie PSB metode is uitgebrei om die fundamentele stroom harmoniek te onderdruk in die demodulasie skema sonder om enige filters by te voeg. Die finale toepassing is ’n nuwe myn windas wat van twee posisie sensorlose beheerde RSMe gebruik maak om klippe ondergronds te verplaas vanaf die ontploffings area. Die voorgestelde ontwerp verbeter die huidige ontwerp ten opsigte van die veiligheid, energie effektiwiteit en robuustheid. Gemete resultate wys dat ken draaimoment moontlik is met altwee speek-koëffissiënt metodes. ’n Automasie metode, wat die maksimum draaimoment op die windas beperk en automaties homself bevry indien hy vasval, is voorgestel en geëvalueer.

This thesis deals with a new solution for medium voltage drives. Load Commutated Inverter (LCI) fed synchronous motor drive is a popular solution for high power drive applications. Though the induction machine is more rugged and cheaper compared to the synchronous machine, LCI fed induction motor drive solution is not available. The basic advantage of a synchronous machine over an induction machine is the fact that the synchronous machine can operate at leading power factor. Due to this property load commutation of SCR switches of the LCI is achievable for synchronous machine. On the contrary an induction machine always draws lagging power factor current; this makes it unsuitable as a drive motor for LCI technology. In this thesis a new LCI fed induction motor drive configuration is developed as an alternative for synchronous motor drives. A new variant of six phase induction motor is proposed in this context. The machine is named as Active Reactive Induction Machine (ARIM). The ARIM contains two sets of three-phase windings with isolated neutral. Both the windings have a common axis. One winding carries the active power and can be wound for higher voltage (say 11kV). The other winding supplies the total reactive power of the machine and can be wound for lower voltage (say 2.2 kV). The rotor is a standard squirrel cage. High power induction machines usually demand lesser magnitude of reactive power compared to the total power rating of the machine ( 20% ). Therefore excitation winding has a smaller fraction of the total machine rating compared to the power winding. A VSI with an LC filter supplies reactive power to the ARIM through the excitation winding and ensures leading power factor at the power winding. This is similar to the excitation control of the LCI fed synchronous machine. The direct VSI connection is possible due to the lower voltage rating for the excitation winding. In this way, the VSI voltage rating does not limit the highest motor voltage that can be handled. An LCI supplies the real power into the ARIM from the power winding. The LCI currents are quasi square wave in shape. Therefore they have rich low order harmonic content. They cause 6th and 12th harmonic torque pulsations in the machine. This is a problem for the LCI fed synchronous machine drive. In the proposed drive, the VSI can compensate these low frequency m.m.f. harmonics inside the machine air gap to remove torque pulsation and rotor harmonic losses. The advantage of the proposed topology is that no transformer is required to drive an 11kV machine. It is always desirable to feed sinusoidal voltage and current to both the power winding and the excitation winding. To address this problem, a second configuration is proposed. A low power three-level VSI is connected in shunt at the power winding with the proposed ARIM drive as discussed above. This VSI compensates the low frequency harmonic currents to achieve sinusoidal motor currents at the motor winding. This VSI acts as a shunt active filter and compensates for the lower order harmonics injected by the LCI. The proposed topologies have LC filters to maintain sinusoidal motor voltages and currents by absorbing the VSI switching frequency components. But the motor terminal voltage oscillates at system resonant frequency due to the presence of LC filters. These resonant components in the terminal voltages are required to be eliminated for smooth terminal voltages and safe load commutation of the thyristors. In this thesis a simple active damping method is proposed to mitigate these issues. The proposed topologies are experimentally verified with an ARIM with 415 V power winding and 220 V excitation winding. The control is carried out on a digital platform having a TMS 320LF 2407A DSP processor and an ALTERA CYCLONE FPGA processor. Results from the prototype experimental drive are presented to show the feasibility and performance of the proposed drive configurations.

The main objective of the present thesis focuses on the integration of the in-wheel electric motors into the conception and control of road vehicles. The present thesis is the subject of the grant 186-654 (2010-2013) between the Laboratory of Signals and Systems (L2S-CNRS) and the French Institute of Petrol and New Energies (IFPEN). The thesis work has originally started from a vehicular electrification project, equipped with in-wheel electric motors at the rear axle, to obtain a full electric urban use and a standard extra-urban use with energy recovery at the rear axle in braking phases. The standard internal combustion engines have the disadvantage that complex estimation techniques are necessary to compute the instantaneous engine torque. At the same time, the actuators that control the braking system have some delays due to the hydraulic and mechanical circuits. These aspects represent the primary motivation for the introduction and study of the integration of the electric motor as unique propelling source for the vehicle. The advantages brought by the use of the electric motor are revealed and new techniques of control are set up to maximize its novelty. Control laws are constructed starting from the key feature of the electric motor, which is the fact that the torque transmitted at the wheel can be measured, depending on the current that passes through the motor. Another important feature of the electric motor is its response time, the independent control, as well as the fact that it can produce negative torques, in generator mode, to help decelerate the vehicle and store energy at the same time. Therefore, the novelty of the present work is that the in-wheel electric motor is considered to be the only control actuator signal in acceleration and deceleration phases, simplifying the architecture of the design of the vehicle and of the control laws. The control laws are focused on simplicity and rapidity in order to generate the torques which are transmitted at the wheels. To compute the adequate torques, estimation strategies are set up to produce reliable maximum friction estimation. Function of this maximum adherence available at the contact between the road and the tires, an adequate torque will be computed in order to achieve a stable wheel behavior in acceleration as well as in deceleration phases. The critical issue that was studied in this work was the non-linearity of the tire-road interaction characteristics and its complexity to estimate when it varies. The estimation strategy will have to detect all changes in the road-surface adherence and the computed control law should maintain the stability of the wheel even when the maximum friction changes. Perturbations and noise are also treated in order to test the robustness of the proposed estimation and control approaches.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um método para a identificação de falha causada por barras quebradas em rotores de motores de indução trifásicos através da análise de sua deformação dinâmica, utilizando redes de Bragg em fibra óptica (FBG) como elemento sensor. A análise da deformação dinâmica permite a detecção e diagnóstico de uma série de falhas mecânicas como desalinhamento, desbalanceamento, falhas em rolamentos e folga mecânica. Além de falhas mecânicas é possível identificar falhas elétricas como quebras ou trincas em anéis ou barras do rotor. Para as medidas de deformação dinâmica foram utilizados sensores baseados em redes de Bragg em fibra óptica que possuem como características principais a grande capacidade de multiplexação, imunidade à radiação eletromagnética e capacidade de operação a longas distâncias. Ensaios foram feitos em um motor de indução de pequeno porte (3 CV) afim de validar o método e futuramente aplicar em máquinas de médio e grande porte. O motor foi alimentado por três diferentes fontes de alimentação: rede elétrica da concessionária, geradores síncronos e inversor de frequência, para condições de 75% e 100% de sua carga nominal. Nos ensaios foram utilizados um rotor sem defeito de barra e, posteriormente, um rotor com uma barra interrompida. Através dos ensaios foi possível identificar a falha para as duas condições de carga ensaiadas e com as três diferentes fontes de alimentação. A falha de barra quebrada no rotor é identificada em duas regiões do espectro de frequência obtidos com os três conjuntos de ensaios realizados. A primeira região em torno da frequência mecânica de rotação do rotor e a segunda em torno do dobro da frequência elétrica da fonte de alimentação. O sistema se mostrou bastante sensível, com boa relação sinal ruído e com vantagens em relação aos principais métodos e sensores comumente utilizados para a identificação da falha de barras quebradas em motores de indução. / This work presents the rotor broken bar failure identification through strain analysis using fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) as sensor. The dynamic strain analysis allow the diagnostic and detect several mechanical failures like misalignment, unbalances, bearing failures and mechanical clearance, also electrical failures like rotor broken rings and rotor broken bar. Fiber Bragg gratings sensors were used to measure the dynamic deformation, some advantages of FBG are high multiplexing capability, electromagnetic interference immunity and long distance operation capability. Tests were conducted in a small induction motor (3 HP) in order to validate the method and allow it to be applied inthe future in medium and big size machines. The motor was fed through three different sources (directly from the electrical grid, synchronous generators and by one frequency inverter) at 75% and 100% of rated load condition. Tests were conducted with one healthy rotor and then with a rotor with a broken bar. The tests allow identifying the rotor broken bar failure in both load conditions. Rotor broken bar failure could be identified in two spectrum regions for all conducted tests. The first one was the region around the motor mechanical rotational frequency and the second one was the region around twice times power supply frequency. The system have been presented a high sensibility, a god signal to noise relationship (SNR) and some advantages over the main common sensors and methods used to identify and analyze the dynamic eccentricity and rotor broken bar failures in induction motors.

Submitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Magister Technologiae in Electrical Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology SUPERVISOR: E. VOSS NOVEMBER 2013 / The reluctance synchronous machine (RSM) operates on the principle of magnetic reluctance, which is produced through a careful selection of rotor flux barriers and cut-outs. Magnetic reluctivity is the resistance to magnetic flux and can be directly related to the principles of Ohm’s law in electrical circuits. Although reluctance motors have been known for more than 150 years, researchers lost interest when Nikola Tesla’s induction machine (IM) was introduced to industry. Over the last few decades, however, RSMs have shown a lot of potential. They are cheap, robust, reliable, and their rotors can also be used in the stators of IMs. The disadvantage of these machines is an inherently high torque ripple, being the result of its rotor geometry, but the biggest advantage is having a significant reduction in copper losses after the rotor cage has been removed. This advantage drove engineers to investigate, optimise and modify the performance and structure of this machine, which led to the usage of electronic drive systems. The recent advances in technology have allowed researchers to further investigate and modify the design and performance of this special type of machine, with the integration of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software also making a contribution to the development of the RSM’s current driven systems. The voltage-fed RSM, driven direct-on-line (DOL) from the utility supply, was left in the shadows as the current-fed RSM took reign, but still is, in the author’s opinion, not yet fully analysed. This thesis practically investigates the performance characteristics of the cageless, voltage-fed 3kW RSM in its steady-state operation, under various loads. These performance characteristics are also compared to a RSM driven from a sensorless vector drive (current-fed) to investigate the advantages and disadvantages between the two. Experiments performed on the test bench immediately reveal a limitation to the voltage-fed RSM’s ability to drive higher loads. While the current-fed RSM conveniently reaches 150% of its full-load, the voltage-fed RSM, due to its cageless structure, only reaches 110% of its full-load power. Despite this discovery, the voltage-fed RSM proves to have a lower core loss, harmonic content and torque ripple. Using a FE software package with an integrated source-code, additional parameters such as the dq-axis inductances and currents are also compared and analysed in terms of its reaction to an increase in load. The eddy-current, hysteresis and excess losses are also analysed as well as the harmonic components caused by the geometry of the RSM. For academic purposes, a fair amount of emphasis is placed on the approach to the problem. The preparation for the FE simulation is explained in detail, providing insight into the FE mathematical model as well as parameter acquisition. These parameters include current angle, friction and windage losses, stator resistance, end-winding leakage reactance, core loss and inertia. The results obtained by the FE model are compared to that of the measured results and is found to have an error of only 0.52%. Furthermore, this study attempts to find the feasibility of the voltage-fed RSM’s practicality in modern-day industry. The conclusion is drawn that the voltage-fed RSM could be used as a more elegant alternative to an otherwise over-complicated and over-priced installation.

Finep; CAPES; CNPq; FA; ANEEL; ENGIE; / Esta tese apresenta aplicações de redes de Bragg em fibra óptica (FBG) para medição de parâmetros em máquinas elétricas. Os resultados apresentados permitem explorar novas técnicas de instrumentação que mostram o potencial de utilização de FBGs em ambientes industriais, como a medição de temperatura em uma usina hidrelétrica, e de investigação em laboratório, como no estudo da deformação dinâmica do estator de motores de indução. As técnicas de instrumentação apresentadas podem ser utilizadas isoladamente ou integradas, de forma a obter uma instrumentação multiparamétrica em usinas hidrelétricas ou em ambientes industriais que utilizam motores de indução em seu processo produtivo. A tese é organizada em forma de coletânea de artigos científicos, os quais apresentam a medição de temperatura e determinação de um modelo térmico de uma ponte retificadora utilizada para ajustar a corrente de campo do rotor de um gerador, um sensor de campo magnético, medição da deformação dinâmica do estator de motores de indução e caracterização de um acelerômetro óptico biaxial. Os resultados para medição de temperatura nos tiristores utilizados na ponte retificadora mostram a dependência entre temperatura e corrente de excitação, onde oscilações de corrente levam a oscilações de temperatura. O ajuste a partir do modelo térmico desenvolvido para o sistema apresenta um erro de 1,5oC em comparação com as medidas pelas FBGs. O sensor de campo é baseado na magnetostricção, sendo utilizadas duas FBGs. Uma delas para medição de deformação e outra para compensação de temperatura. No sensor de campo é apresentada a variação da resposta em função da temperatura, onde a magnetoestricção apresenta comportamento não-linear e sua saturação também varia em função temperatura. A medida de deformação do estator empregando as FBGs apresenta uma boa relação sinal ruído, com 80 dB para a harmônica fundamental, e as frequências observadas na vibração são as esperadas teoricamente. Além disso, com a utilização de duas FBGs pode-se observar a natureza girante da força magnética do entreferro. A medição de deformação do estator trata-se de uma técnica de análise inovadora, sendo a principal contribuição desta tese. Os resultados obtidos com a medida de deformação do estator são utilizados para validar as medidas de vibração de um acelerômetro óptico biaxial utilizado em um motor de indução. O acelerômetro óptico biaxial é insensível à variação de temperatura, podendo ser aplicado para medição de vibração em máquinas elétricas. / This paper presents the application of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) for parameters measurement in electrical machines. The results allow to explore new instrumentation techniques and show the potential for industrial applications, presenting the measurement in an hydroelectric power plant, and laboratory research, such as the dynamic stator strain measurement. Each instrumentation technics presented in this paper has a potential to use isolated or integrated in order to obtain a multiparameter instrumentation in hydroelectric power plants or industrial environments that using induction motors in its production process. This paper is organized in a collection of articles, and the FBG applications are the temperature measurement and simulation of a rectifier bridge used to adjust the rotor field current of a power generator, a magnetic field sensor, , a biaxial optical accelerometer and the measurement of the stator dynamic strain of an induction motor. The results for the thyristor temperature measurement show the dependence of temperature and excitation current, where current oscillations lead to temperature fluctuations. The simulation of the thermal model presents a 1.5oC error compared to measures by the FBGs. The field sensor is based on magnetostriction, property where the magnetic material undergo deformation in the presence of a magnetic field. For this sensor are used two FBGs for temperature measurement and deformation in Terfenol-D, material with magnetostrictive properties. In the magnetic field sensor the response is a function of temperature, where the magnetostriction and saturation presents non-linear behavior varies as a function of temperature. Stator strain measurement using the FBGs has a good relationship signal noise, 80 dB for the fundamental harmonic and the observed frequencies in the vibration are theoretically expected. Moreover, with the use of two sensors can be determine the rotating nature of the air gap magnetic force. Finally, the biaxial optical accelerometer does not have is insensitive to temperature variations and can be applied for measuring vibration in electrical machines.

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In the past two decades the core aircraft technology is going through a drastic change. The traditional technologies that is almost half a century old, is going through a complete revamp. In the new “More Electric Aircraft” technology many mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems are being replaced by electrical and power electronic systems. Airbus-A380, Boeing B-787 are the pioneers in the family of these new breed of aircrafts. As the aircraft technology is moving towards “More Electric”, more and more electric motors and motor controllers are being used in new aircrafts. Number of electric motor drive systems has increased by about ten times in more electric aircrafts compared to traditional aircrafts. Weight of any electric component that goes into aircraft needs to be low to reduce the overall weight of aircraft so as to improve the fuel efficiency of the aircraft. Hence there is an increased need to reduce weight of motors and motor controllers in commercial aircraft. High speed ironless axial flux permanent magnet brushless dc motors are becoming popular in the new more-electric aircrafts because of their ability to meet the demand of light weight, high power density, high efficiency and high reliability. However, these motors come with very low inductance, which poses a big challenge to the motor controllers in controlling the ripple current in motor windings. Multilevel inverters can solve this problem. Three-level inverters are proposed in this thesis for driving axial flux BLDC motors in aircraft. Majority of the motors in new more electric aircrafts are in the power range of 2kW to 20kW, while a few motor applications being in the range of 100kW to 150kW. Motor controllers in these applications run from 270Vdc or 540Vdc bus which is the standard in new more electric aircraft architecture. Multilevel Inverter is popular in the industry for high power and high voltage applications, where high-voltage power switching devices like IGBT, GTO are popularly used. However multilevel inverters have not been tried in the low power range which is appropriate for aircraft applications. A detail analysis of practical feasibility of constructing three-level inverter in lower power and voltage level is presented in this thesis. Analysis is presented that verify the advantages of driving low voltage and low power (300Vdc to 600Vdc and less than 100kW) motors with multilevel inverters. Practical considerations for design of MOSFET based three-level inverter are investigated and topological modifications are suggested. The effect of clamping diodes in the diode clamped multilevel inverters play an important role in determining its efficiency. SiC diodes are proposed to be used as clamping diodes. Further, it is realised that power loss introduced by reverse recovery of MOSFET body diode prohibits use of MOSFET in hard switched inverter legs. Hence, a technique of avoiding the reverse recovery losses of MOSFET body diode in three-level NPC inverter is conceived. The use of proposed multilevel inverter topology enables operation at high switching frequency without sacrificing efficiency. High switching frequency of operation reduces the output filter requirement, which in turn helps reducing size of the inverter. In this research work elaborate trade-off analysis is done to quantify the suitability of multilevel inverters in the low power applications. For successful operation of three-level NPC inverter in aircraft electrical system, it is important for the DC bus structure in aircraft electric primary distribution system to be compatible to drive NPC inverters. Hence a detail study of AC to DC power conversion system as applied to commercial aircraft electrical system is done. Multi-pulse rectifiers using autotransformers are used in aircrafts. Investigation is done to improve these rectifiers for future aircrafts, such that they can support new technologies of future generation motor controllers. A new 24-pulse isolated transformer rectifier topology is proposed. From two 15º displaced 6-phase systems feeding two 12-pulse rectifiers that are series connected, a 24-pulse rectifier topology is obtained. Though, windings of each 12-pulse rectifiers are isolated from primary, the 6-phase generation is done without any isolation of the transformer windings. The new 24-pulse transformer topology has lower VA rating compared to standard 12-pulse rectifiers. Though the new 24-pulse transformer-rectifier solution is robust and simple, it adds to the weight of the overall system, as compared to the present architecture as the proposed topology uses isolated transformer. Non-isolated autotransformer cannot provide split voltage at the dc-link that creates a stable mid-point voltage as required by the three-level NPC inverter. Hence, a new front-end AC-DC power conversion system with switched capacitor is conceived that can support motor controllers driven by three-level inverters. Laboratory experimental results are presented to validate the new proposed topology. In this proposed topology, the inverter dc-link voltage is double the input dc-link voltage. An intense research work is performed to understand the operation of Trapezoidal Back EMF BLDC motor driven by three-Level NPC inverter. Operation of BLDC motor from three-Level inverter is primarily advantageous for low inductance motors, like ironless axial flux motors. For low inductance BLDC motor, very high switching frequency is required to limit the magnitude of ripple current in motor winding. Three-level inverters help limiting the magnitude of motor ripple current without increasing the switching frequency to very high value. Further, it is analysed that dc link mid-point current in three-level NPC inverter for driving trapezoidal BLDC motor has a zero average current with fundamental frequency same as switching frequency. Because of this, trapezoidal BLDC motors can easily be operated from three-level NPC inverter without any special attention given to mid-point voltage unbalance. One non-ideal condition arrives in practical implementation of the inverter that leads to non-zero average mid point current. Unequal gate drive dead time delays from one leg to other leg of inverter introduce dc-link mid-point voltage unbalance. For the motoring mode operation of trapezoidal BLDC motor drive, simple gate drive logic is researched that eliminates need of the gate drive dead-time, and hence solves the mid-point voltage unbalance issue. Simple closed loop control scheme for mid-point voltage balancing also is also proposed. This control scheme may be used in applications where very precise control of speed and torque ripple is warranted. All the investigations reported in this thesis are simulated extensively on MATHCAD and MATLAB platform using SIMULINK toolbox. A laboratory experimental set-up of three-Level inverter driving axial flux BLDC motor is built. The three-level inverter, operating from 300Vdc bus is built using 500V MOSFETs and 600V SiC diodes. All the control schemes are implemented digitally on digital signal processor TMS320F2812 DSP platform and GAL22V10B platforms. Experimental results are collected to validate the theoretical propositions made in the present research work. At the end, in chapter 5, some future works are proposed. A new external voltage balance circuit is proposed where the inverter dc-link voltage is same as the input dc-link voltage. This topology is based on the resonant converter principle and uses a lighter resonant inductor than prior arts available in literature. Detail simulation and experimentation of this topology may be carried out to validate the industrial benefits of this circuit. It is also thought that current source inverters may work as an alternative to voltage source inverters for driving BLDC motors. Current source inverters eliminate use of bulky DC-link capacitors. Long term reliability of current source inverters is higher than voltage source inverters due to the absence of possibility of shoot-through. Further, in voltage source inverters, the voltage at the motor terminal is limited by the source voltage (dc-link voltage). This issue is eliminated in current source inverters. An interface circuit is conceived to reduce the size of dc-link inductors in current source inverters, pending detail analysis and experimental verification. The interface circuit bases its fundamentals on the principles of operation of multilevel inverters for BLDC motors that is presented in this thesis.