Smart Sensors

A recent research line in which the group is working is focused on the development of intelligent sensors (smart sensors) for fault diagnosis in electric motors.

The pursued objective is to build sensors that are not only capable to analyse or register the corresponding quantity but that also enable its on-site processing, by applying suitable signal analysis tools. The goal is that the sensor can provide an in-situ diagnostic of the motor condition, based on the analysis of the measured quantity.

Within this research line, the target is to implement in the sensors techniques that go beyond the conventional methods that are currently applied in the industry, which are mainly based on the analysis of stationary signals. On the contrary, the goal is that these smart sensors rely on the application of advanced fault diagnosis techniques that are suitable for any operation regime of the machine. In this context, the cutting-edge techniques developed by the group (based on currents or fluxes), which are adapted to transient operation of the motor, are especially suitable since they are valid for any operation regime of the machine and, besides, they provide a much more reliable diagnostic than the conventional techniques.

Finally, it must be pointed out that the research developed by the group is intended to move forward versus the conventional systems that are available nowadays, which often rely on the analysis of a single quantity. It has been proven that a single quantity, if used alone, is not enough to determine the condition of a whole motor, since each specific quantity is only valid for the diagnosis of certain faults or anomalies. This is the reason why the most recent trend in the electric motor condition monitoring area relies on combining the analysis obtained from different quantities to have a more complete picture of the motor health. Due to this fact, the idea is that the developed system based on smart sensors, relies on the integration of the analysis of different quantities in the same unit. The system should measure and analyse each particular quantity and combine all the information coming from the different quantities, reaching a global conclusion of the motor health. The incorporation of such a system in real motors would be able to convert them in intelligent machines, able to determine their own health on real time. Currently, the team is working in the integration of current analysis, flux analysis, infrared thermography and partial discharge in the same unit.

Representative team projects: SISTINMOT, MOTORTECH, DIMER

Most relevant publications:

1. I. Zamudio-Ramírez, R.A. Osornio-Rios, J. Antonino-Daviu, “Triaxial Smart Sensor Based on the Advanced Analysis of Stray Flux and Currents for the Reliable Fault Detection in Induction Motors”. Proceedings of the 12th IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE 2020). Detroit, USA, 2020.

2. Israel Zamudio-Ramírez, Roque Alfredo Osornio-Ríos, Jose Alfonso Antonino-Daviu, Alfredo Quijano-Lopez, (2020) “Smart-Sensor for the Automatic Detection of Electromechanical Faults in Induction Motors Based on the Transient Stray Flux Analysis”. Sensors, 5 (2), 1 - 19.

3. Israel Zamudio-Ramirez; Roque A. Osornio-Rios; Miguel Trejo-Hernandez; Rene J. Romero-Troncoso; J. Antonino-Daviu. (2019) Smart-Sensors to Estimate Insulation Health in Induction Motors via Analysis of Stray Flux. Energies (12)1 - 16

4. M. J. Picazo-Ródenas, J. Antonino-Daviu, V. Climente-Alarcon, R. Royo-Pastor and A. Mota-Villar, "Combination of Noninvasive Approaches for General Assessment of Induction Motors," in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 2172-2180, May-June 2015.