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LEARNI NG
PROJ ECT
BLOG
ABOUT

J UNE 2 6 , 2 0 1 7
BY YN GV E SOL B A K K EN

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I n t r o d u ct i o n
Al m ost ever y m ot or dr i ve i n ver t er i n t h e m ar ket r el y on Pul se- Wi dt h
M odul at i on (PWM ) t o syn t h esi ze t h e out put cur r en t w avef or m . Because of
t h at , t h e act ual i n st an t an eous vol t age w avef or m at t h e i n ver t er t er m i n al s w i l l
con si st of ver y st eep an ks at t h e begi n n i n g an d en d of each pul se. Th i s i s t h e
or i gi n f or a m ul t i t ude of n egat i ve e ect s on t h e con n ect ed equi pm en t .

Th i s post i s par t t w o of f our :

1. Re ect i on s causi n g vol t age doubl i n g at t h e equi pm en t t er m i n al s,

causi n g i n cr eased st r ess on w i n di n g i n sul at i on
2. Bear i n g cur r en t s i n si de el ect r i cal m ach i n es due t o capaci t i ve cur r en t s
an d n on - un i f or m vol t age an d cur r en t di st r i but i on i n w i n di n gs
3. Capaci t i ve gr oun d cur r en t s
4. H i gh f r equen cy n oi se

B ea r i n g Cu r r en t s

BACKGROUN D
For f ast sw i t ch i n g appl i cat i on s, such as PWM dr i ves w h er e t h e \ ( dV/ dt \ ) i s
h i gh , t h e com m on m ode capaci t i ve coupl i n g gen er at es ch ar gi n g cur r en t s
w h i ch ow i n t h e r ot or sh af t an d exi t t h r ough t h e en d- bear i n gs of t h e
m ach i n e. Th i s can dam age t h e m ach i n e bear i n gs an d subst an t i al l y decr ease
t h ei r l i f e expect an cy.

EFFECT S
Th er e ar e t w o t ypes of bear i n g cur r en t s, separ at ed by t h ei r pat h s i n si de t h e
m ach i n e an d t h ei r sour ce of or i gi n ;

N ON - CI R CU L A T I N G T Y P E B E A R I N G CU R R E N T

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Fi gur e 1: Bear i n g cur r en t s w i t h gr oun d r et ur n i n an el ect r i cal m ach i n e [ 2] .

\ ( C_ g \ ) cor r espon ds t o t h e capaci t an ce acr oss t h e bear i n g w h i l e \ ( C_ { w s} \ ) an d \ ( C_ { w r } \ ) cor r espon ds t o
t h e per un i t l en gt h par asi t i c capaci t an ce f r om t h e w i n di n g t o t h e st at or an d r ot or r espect i vel y. \ ( Z_ { i n v} \ ) i s
t h e ( m ai n l y) capaci t i ve coupl i n g f r om t h e i n ver t er t o gr oun d. \ ( \ l abel { g:bear i n g_ cur r en t } \ )

Th i s t ype i s i l l ust r at ed i n gur e 1. A si m pl i ed i n ver t er w i t h on l y on e ph ase (ph ase

a) w i t h an i m pedan ce \ ( Z_ { i n v} \ ) bet w een t h e DC- l i n k an d gr oun d ser ves as t h e
sour ce of t h e bear i n g cur r en t \ ( I _ { br g} \ ). Th e cur r en t ow s f r om t h e i n ver t er
i n t o t h e m ot or m ai n w i n di n gs w h er e t h e capaci t i ve coupl i n g bet w een t h e st at or
w i n di n g an d r ot or \ ( C_ { w r } \ ) st ar t s t o con duct ch ar gi n g cur r en t s i n t h e r ot or
sh af t .

Th e ai r gap capaci t an ce \ ( C_ g \ ) cor r espon ds t o t h e capaci t an ce acr oss t h e

en d- bear i n gs w h i ch w i l l ser ve as t h e bear i n g cur r en t ' s exi t f r om t h e r ot or back t o
t h e st at or f r am e. Because t h e st at or f r am e i s gr oun ded, t h e bear i n g cur r en t w i l l
r et ur n t o t h e i n ver t er t h r ough ear t h an d t h e (m ost l y capaci t i ve) i m pedan ce \ (
Z_ { i n v} \ ) [ 1] .

As t h e bear i n g cur r en t ci r cul at es back t o t h e i n ver t er r at h er t h an i n si de t h e

m ach i n e, t h i s t ype i s r ef er r ed t o as n on - ci r cul at i n g t ype.

CI R CU L A T I N G T Y P E B E A R I N G CU R R E N T S

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I t h as been f oun d i n [ 2] t h at n on - ci r cul at i n g cur r en t s does n ot accoun t f or al l t h e

bear i n g cur r en t s di scover ed i n pr act i cal exper i m en t s. Fr om t h i s ar i ses a n ew t ype of
bear i n g cur r en t w h i ch i s n ot gen er at ed by t h e par asi t i c capaci t i ve coupl i n g bet w een
t h e r ot or an d st at or al on e. I n st ead, i t ar i ses f r om el ect r om agn et i c i n duct i on caused by
a st r ay m agn et i c ux el d r ai sed by un even cur r en t di st r i but i on i n t h e w i n di n g coi l s.

Fi gur e 2b: Cur r en t den si t y as f un ct i on of w i n di n g

Fi gur e 2a: St r ay capaci t an ces bet w een w i n di n g an d
l en gt h f r om t er m i n al .
st at or i r on w h i ch cause capaci t i ve gr oun d cur r en t s an d
subsequen t n on - un i f or m cur r en t den si t y.

Fi gur e 2d: Si de vi ew of t h e m ach i n e w h er e t h e

ci r cul at i n g bear i n g cur r en t i s sh ow n i n r ed.
Fi gur e 2c: Cr oss- sect i on al vi ew of t h e m ach i n e w h er e
t h e n et ux pat h of t h e en cl osi n g m agn et i c el d i s
sh ow i n r ed.

Fi gur e 2: St r ay capaci t an ces i n t h e st at or w i n di n g causes l eakage cur r en t s (a)

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w h i ch i n t ur n causes un even cur r en t di st r i but i on i n t h e w i n di n g t ur n s (b). Th i s

cr eat es a ux el d (c) w h i ch gen er at es ci r cul at i n g bear i n g cur r en t s (d).

Th i s un even cur r en t di st r i but i on i s caused by t h e h i gh \ ( dV/ dt \ ) w h i ch gen er at es

capaci t i ve cur r en t s t o t h e st at or i r on . As t h ese cur r en t s ar e h i gh er i n t h e t er m i n al - en ds
t h e w i n di n g t h an i n t h e f ar en d, i t cr eat es a cur r en t un bal an ce i n each of t h e t w o co i l si d
as sh ow n i n gur e 2a an d 2b. Th e cur r en t un bal an ce cr eat es a n et cur r en t ow i n g i n t h e
r ot or sh af t di r ect i on . Accor di n g t o Gauss' l aw , t h i s cur r en t m ust cr eat e a n et ux el d.
Wh en t h i s i s sur r oun di n g t h e r ot or an d st at or f r am e as sh ow n i n gur e 2c a ux l i n kage
ach i eved an d vol t age w i l l be i n duced i n t h e r ot or sh af t ( gur e 2d).

Fr om t h e r ot or sh af t , t h e cur r en t w i l l exi t t h r ough on e of t h e en d bear i n gs an d en t er t h e

st at or f r am e an d ci r cl e back t o t h e r ot or t h r ough t h e opposi t e en d bear i n g, h en ce t h e n a
ci rculat i ng bear i n g cur r en t as i t i s ci r cul at i n g i n si de t h e m ach i n e an d n ot back t o t h e
i n ver t er .

OR I GI N
Com m on f or bot h t ypes of bear i n g cur r en t s i s t h at t h ey ar e f or m ed on t h e basi s of t h e
com m on m ode vol t age. Th i s vol t age sour ce i s based on t h e di er en ce bet w een t h e
n on - zer o sum of t h e t h r ee i n st an t an eous PWM vol t ages an d t h e gr oun d pot en t i al an d i s
i l l ust r at ed i n gur e 3. Th i s vol t age w i l l be r ef er r ed t o as t h e zer o sequen ce vol t age, \ ( V_
\ ).

Zer o sequen ce vol t age ( \ ( V_ 0 = _ { ph _ gn d} \ ) ) i n PWM i n ver t er dr i ves [ 3]

Th e zer o sequen ce vol t age i s pr opor t i on al t o t h e DC- l i n k vol t age, w h i ch f or m ar i n e l o w

vol t age pow er syst em s of t en i s appr oxi m at el y 9 75 V. Th e f r equen cy i s equal t o t h e

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i n ver t er ' s sw i t ch i n g f r equen cy [ 3] .

Th e zer o sequen ce vol t age w i l l act as a vol t age sour ce bet w een gr oun d pot en t i al an d t h e
af or em en t i on ed aggr egat e t er m i n al vol t age on t h e i n ver t er si de. Th i s vol t age pot en t i al
com bi n at i on w i t h h i gh f r equen cy an d h i gh \ ( dV/ dt \ ) w i l l gen er at e cur r en t s bet w een t h
gr oun d pot en t i al an d an d par asi t i c el em en t s i n t h e ci r cui t . Th ese cur r en t s ar e of t en r ef e
as com m on m ode cur r en t s or zer o sequen ce cur r en t s.

Al t h ough t h e f r equen cy of t h e zer o sequen ce vol t age w as sai d t o be equal t o t h e i n ver t er

sw i t ch i n g f r equen cy, t h e h ar m on i c f r equen ci es of t h e zer o sequen ce current s exi st s over
di er en t r an ges [ 3, 4] :

1. Th e f un dam en t al f r equen cy of t h e m ai n i n ver t er l oad. Typi cal l y bet w een 6 an d 6 0 H

m ar i n e appl i cat i on s. Zer o sequen ce cur r en t s at t h i s f r equen cy r an ge i s n ot a r esul t
i n ver t er ch ar act er i st i cs, but r at h er cabl e asym m et r y, t ypi cal l y w i t h r egar ds t o cabl e
si n gl e ear t h w i r e w h i ch h as i n duced vol t age f r om t h e m ai n t h r ee ph ase con duct or s
2. Th e sw i t ch i n g f r equen cy f r om t h e i n ver t er . Th i s r an ge i s n or m al l y ar oun d a f ew kH
m ar i n e appl i cat i on s an d i s al so t h e f un dam en t al f r equen cy f or t h e zer o sequen ce vo
Because of t h e r el at i vel y l ow f r equen cy, t h e m aj or i t y of t h e zer o sequen ce cur r en t s
t o t h e i n ver t er t h r ough gr oun d r at h er t h an t h r ough bear i n gs as t h e bear i n g i m ped
t oo h i gh at t h i s f r equen cy r an ge.
3. Reson an t f r equen ci es t r i gger ed by i n ver t er sw i t ch i n g. Th i s r an ge i s depen den t on t
sw i t ch i n g t i m es an d \ ( dV/ dt \ ) f r om t h e i n ver t er sw i t ch i n g devi ces an d can var y f r o
kH z t o 5 M H z w h en usi n g of I GBT sw i t ch es. Th i s f r equen cy com pon en t i s con si der
t h e l ar gest par t of t h e zer o sequen ce cur r en t an d t h e m ai n cause of al l bear i n g cur r
PWM dr i ves [ 3] .

CON SE QU E N CE S
Because t h e \ ( dV/ dt \ ) occur s at a h i gh f r equen cy, bear i n g cur r en t s ar e of t en pul sat i n g r
t h an ow i n g st eadi l y [ 3] . Th i s causes addi t i on al st r ess on t h e bear i n gs an d f ai l ur e m ode
as pi t t i n g, ut i n g an d f al se br i n el l i n g can occur . Al l w h i ch w i l l r educe t h e l i f e exp ect an cy
bear i n gs si gn i can t l y [ 5] .

I n addi t i on t o dam age t h e m ot or bear i n gs, t h e bear i n g cur r en t s m ay con duct t h r ough t h
an d exi t i n si de con n ect ed m ech an i cal l oads or gear s. Th ese com pon en t s can al so t ake se
dam age f r om EDM .

REM ED I ES

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Est abl i sh equal i zi n g pat h s f or H F zer o sequen ce cur r en t s:

1. Pr ovi de a l ow i m pedan ce pat h f or H F zer o sequen ce cur r en t s back t o t h e i n ver
Or di n ar y gr oun di n g w i l l n ot be sui t abl e due t o t h e n at ur e of H F cur r en t s an d t
e ect . Nor m al l y t h i s pat h i s ach i eved by usi n g st eel - or al um i n um cabl e br ai d
speci al t ype H F bl ocks t o pr ovi de a 36 0 degr ee cl am pi n g ar oun d t h e cabl e an d
l ar ge con t act sur f ace i n bot h en ds.
2. Low i m pedan ce pot en t i al equal i zat i on bet w een al l par t s an d com pon en t s on t
si de of t h e i n st al l at i on . Th i s i n cl udes bon di n g bet w een m ot or f r am e an d m ot o
box, m ot or f r am e an d gr oun d, m ot or f r am e an d con n ect ed m ech an i cal l oad (o
bet w een i n ver t er f r am e an d gr oun d.
3. Ut i l i ze m ot or cabl es w i t h ci r cul ar con duct or cor es w i t h ei t h er n o separ at e ear t
con duct or or w i t h t h r ee sym m et r i cal pl aced ear t h i n g cor es t o pr even t i n duct i o
vol t age i n t o t h e ear t h pot en t i al .
Use i n sul at ed m ot or bear i n gs i n on e or bot h en ds of t h e m ach i n e.
Reduce t h e \ ( dV/ dt \ ) on t h e out put of t h e i n ver t er t er m i n al by appl yi n g ch okes or
1. Zer o sequen ce ch okes, e.g. f er r i t e r i n gs (al so cal l ed i r on cor es) ar oun d al l t h r e
ph ases f r om t h e i n ver t er t o di ssi pat e h i gh f r equen cy n oi se.
2. Appl y a t h r ee ph ase si n usoi dal l t er .

Wi t h t h e except i on of out put l t er s, al l of t h e above pr act i ces ar e com m on on m ar i n e m

appl i cat i on s, but t h e ven dor h as t o en sur e t h at t h e con t r act or i n st al l s t h e H F equal i zat i o
cor r ect l y t o en sur e an e ect i ve m easur e agai n st bear i n g cur r en t s an d t h e ot h er n egat i ve
of zer o sequen ce cur r en t s.

SOURCES:
1. E. Per sson . Tr an si en t e ect s i n appl i cat i on of PWM i n ver t er s t o i n duct i on m ot or s
an d Paper I n dust r y Tech n i cal Con f er en ce, 19 9 1., Con f er en ce Recor d of 19 9 1 An n ual
pp. 228 233. DOI : 10.1109 / PAPCON.19 9 1.239 6 44.

2. Sh aot an g Ch en , T.A. Li po, an d D.W. Novot n y. Ci r cul at i n g t ype m ot or bear i n g cur r e

i n ver t er dr i ves . I n : , Con f er en ce Recor d of t h e 19 9 6 I EEE I n dust r y Appl i cat i on s Co
19 9 6 . Th i r t y- Fi r st I AS An n ual M eet i n g, I AS 9 6 . Vol . 1. Oct . 19 9 6 , 16 2 16 7 vol .1. DO
10.1109 / I AS.19 9 6 .557010.

3. P.J. Li n k. M i n i m i zi n g el ect r i c bear i n g cur r en t s i n adj ust abl e speed dr i ve syst em s

an d Paper I n dust r y Tech n i cal Con f er en ce, 19 9 8. Con f er en ce Recor d of 19 9 8 An n ual

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pp. 181 19 5. DOI : 10.1109 / PAPCON.19 9 8.6 85519 .

4. J.M . Ben t l ey an d P.J. Li n k. Eval uat i on of m ot or pow er cabl es f or PWM AC dr i ves .

Paper I n dust r y Tech n i cal Con f er en ce, 19 9 6 ., Con f er en ce Recor d of 19 9 6 An n ual . Ju
55 6 9 . DOI : 10.1109 / PAPCON.19 9 6 .5359 83.

5. J.L.H . Si l va an d A.J.M . Car doso. Bear i n g f ai l ur es di agn osi s i n t h r ee- ph ase i n duct i on
ext en ded Par k s vect or appr oach . I n : 31st An n ual Con f er en ce of I EEE I n dust r i al El
Soci et y, 2005. I ECON 2005. Nov. 2005, pp. 259 1 259 6 . DOI : 10.1109 / I ECON. 2005.15

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