See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/4196730

Fault detection techniques for induction motors

Conference Paper · February 2005

DOI: 10.1109/CPE.2005.1547550 · Source: IEEE Xplore

CITATIONS READS

27 2,039

5 authors, including:

Jordi Cusido Javier Rosero Garcia

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya National University of Colombia
64 PUBLICATIONS   1,279 CITATIONS    102 PUBLICATIONS   1,781 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Juan Antonio Ortega Luis Romeral

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
111 PUBLICATIONS   2,327 CITATIONS    222 PUBLICATIONS   3,122 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Performance tests and Massification model of Electric Vehicle (EV) View project

Smart Campus using the National Laboratory of Smart Grids & the Platform of Test and Applied Technology Development - LAB+i View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Juan Antonio Ortega on 28 May 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Electrical Power Quality and Utilisation, Magazine Vol. II, No. 1, 2006

New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors

Jordi CUSIDO 1; Javier ROSERO2, Emiliano ALDABAS2,
Juan Antonio ORTEGA2, Luis ROMERAL2
1) Asea Brown Boveri, Barcelona, Spain
2) Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain

Summary: Double frequency tests are used for evaluating stator windings analyzing the tempe- Key words:
rature. Likewise, signal injection on induction machines is a well-known technique on sensor- induction motor,
less motor control fields to find out the rotor’s position. Motor Current Signature Analysis fault detection,
(MCSA) is the most widely used method for identifying faults in induction motors. MCSA focu- motor current signa-
ses its efforts on the spectral analysis of stator current. Motor faults such as broken rotor bars, ture analysis
bearing damage and eccentricity of the rotor axis can be detected. However, the method presents
some problems at low speed and low torque, mainly due to the proximity between the frequencies
to be detected and the small amplitude of the resulting harmonics respectively. In both cases, the
problem of frequency accuracy is very tricky since the sideband harmonic is close to the funda-
mental harmonic. This paper proposes injecting an additional voltage into the machine under
test at a frequency different from the fundamental one, and then studying the resulting harmo-
nics around the new frequencies appearing due to the composition between injected and main
frequencies.

1. INTRODUCTION
Induction motor drives are the most widely used
electrical drive systems, and typically consume
more than 50% of an industrialized nation’s total
generating capability.
Among the different techniques for fault
detection in induction machines, MCSA is one
of the most widely used. MCSA focuses its
efforts on the spectral analysis of the stator
current and has been successfully used in the
detection of broken bars. Typically the
procedure consists in evaluating the relative
amplitude of the current harmonic
   
  1− s  
fbrb = f1  m   ± s
(1)
  p  
  2  
variable air gap due to a bend shaft or thermal
bow. Another usual fault is the static
eccentricity, which is due to a stationary
minimum air gap caused either by stator core
deformation or oval shape, or by incorrect
positioning of the rotor or the stator.
The frequencies related to different faults in the
induction machine, such as air gap eccentricity
(Fig. 1), and the effect of bearing damage, are
expressed by equations (2) and (3) respectively,
being fi the rotational speed frequency of the
rotor. The equation (3), however, requires the
rotor slots distribution and, hence, a good
knowledge of the construction and bearing
parameters of the machine.
Finally other studies group all the motor faults
[3] [4] together, typifying the different harmonic
effects depending on the fault.

where m = 1,2,3,…is the harmonic order. If the   

amplitude of these harmonics with regard to fecc = f 1 1 ± m  1 − s   fairgap = f 1 ± mfi (2)
  p 
the amplitude of the main harmonic at f1 is lower
than a limit value then the machine is considered
healthy, otherwise, a fault condition can be
 
assumed. fi, o = n fr 1 ± bd cos β  (3)
The classical method of analysis with the 2  pd 
MCSA uses the first harmonic, finding the fault
near f1(1±2s). Other studies propose evaluating The method described works well under
the side of the fifth harmonic, finding the fault constant load torque and with high power
near f1(5–4s) and f1(5–6s). motors, but some difficulties appear when this
Other specific faults can be found by using the method is applied to medium and high power
same method, such as the bearing damage [1] engines which are working at low speed or low
and the dynamic eccentricity [2], caused by a load torque.

J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors !'

Fig. 1. Stator current In case of low power machines, the amplitude
spectrum of induction of the fault harmonic is too small in the incipient
motor with rotor
faults and the relationship signal-noise is very
eccentricity. Base
frequency of 50 Hz low, and thus the failure becomes difficult to
identify.
On the other hand, the signal processing
needed by a method, such as the FFT (Fast
Fourier Transform), is difficult to apply even in
high power induction machines. In this case,
the slip is very low, the sideband harmonics are
close to the fundamental harmonic and the
frequency resolution must be high. Since the
accuracy is inversely proportional to the data
acquisition time, problems with the meaning of
the spectrum occur.
The problem of frequency accuracy is very
tricky since the sideband harmonics are close
to the fundamental harmonic in both cases, with
low torque operation of the power induction
machines because the slip is very small, and at
low speed of the machine because the fault
frequency separation from the fundamental
harmonic depends directly on the speed.
Fig. 2. Stator current In the case of electrical drives, the problem is
spectrum of induction
motor with broken
much more complicated since the fundamental
bars. Base frequency frequency is not fixed, and it can in fact reach
of 50 Hz very low values. Then, the frequency resolution
" Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine • Vol. II, No 1, 2006
can be insufficient to give a good sideband
harmonics detection.
The consequence of the former conside-rations
is the following: if the reference magnitude of
the sideband harmonics cannot be accurately
measured in a healthy induction machine, it is
not possible to detect the failures of the machine
using a standard MCSA and a simple stator
current sensor.
In these cases, it is necessary to improve the
technique by artificially exciting new harmonics
without torque quality deterioration, and
evaluating their magnitude and location for
proper motor fault detection.
2. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION OF MCSA
Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) is
a condition monitoring technique that is now
going to be widely used to diagnose problems
such as
— broken rotor bars,
— abnormal levels of airgap eccentricity,
— short circuits in stator windings,
— and other mechanical problems.
The idea is that stator current contains
components directly related to rotating flux,
caused by faults by broken rotor bars,
eccentricity, etc.
Despite the fact that motor failure can be
detected by mechanical vibration spectrum
analysis, the vibration is a second order effect
compared to current components, and in many
cases the severity of the fault [i.e., the number
of the broken rotor bars] must be high so as to
be detected by vibration analysis.
Instead, MCSA has been tested in many
industrial cases with good results since the late
80s.
The rotating magnetic field induces voltages
and currents in the rotor at slip frequency, which
produce an effective three-phase magnetic field
rotating at slip frequency with regard to the
rotating rotor.
— Symmetrical cage winding Þ only forward
rotating field
— Asymmetric rotor Þ there will be a resultant
backward rotating field at slip frequency with
regard to the rotor.
This backward rotating field induces a voltage
and current in the stator winding at
f sb = f1 (1 ± 2s ) Hz (4)
It means that twice slip frequency sideband is
due to broken rotor bars.
A torque pulsation appears at twice slip
frequency 2sf1, and a corresponding speed
oscillation, function of the drive inertia. The
speed oscillations may reduce the magnitude
of f1(1–2s) sideband amplitude, but an upper
sideband of f1(1+2s) is then induced in the stator
winding.
These are the classical twice slip frequency
sidebands due to broken rotor bars (Fig. 2),
although other frequencies appear around the
upper harmonic, especially in the fifth (Fig. 3),
as the equation (1) shows.
However, the sidebands can vary due to:
— Mechanical load that affects the slip
frequency
— Supply frequency, which is different from
the inverter.
Then, the MCSA application must take these
variations into account. a)
The effects caused by a damaged motor with
both rotor eccentricity and broken rotor bars
on the sideband frequencies around the fifth
harmonic are shown in Fig. 3. The motor is
running at a slip frequency of 5% and at full
load. As it is shown, the effect of rotor
eccentricity (frequency inside green oval) is
greater than the effects of broken bars
(frequencies inside red ovals).
All the previous figures have been obtained
with the motors directly supplied by the power
grid. In the case of electrical drives supplied
by power inverters, the problem becomes more
difficult, since the fundamental frequency is not
fixed, and can reach very small values.
Moreover, the switching frequency of the
converter introduces additional harmonics that
b)
make the localization of the faulty frequencies
on the current spectrum more difficult.
These effects can be clearly demonstrated by power motors working with applications of fluid Fig. 3. Stator current
the experiments obtained from the motor control like air conditioners and water control spectrum of a dama-
supplied by a standard inverter. Figure 4 shows ged induction motor:
often operate at medium power or even less,
fifth harmonic side-
the current spectrum of a faulty motor running which implies very slow slip frequencies, and band: a) fifth harmonic
at full load and slip frequency of 10%. Red and hence quite close harmonics in the side band sideband spectrum;
green ovals indicate faulty frequencies due to spectrum, hindering the task of localizing and b) fifth harmonic
broken bars and rotor eccentricity respectively. identifying faulty harmonics. sideband spectrum:
On the other hand, it must also be pointed out details
In these cases of special difficulty to identify
that any information about the motor state can the harmonics, a double solution could be
be extracted from the side band frequencies attempted:
around the fifth harmonic. — Using a high order analogue filter to separate
Despite the problems previously described, in the main frequency (or its harmonics) from
the case of small induction motors it is easy to the faulty frequencies, and then capturing
detect not only the magnitude of the side band and processing the sideband harmonics.
harmonics, but also the faulty frequency with — Capturing the whole band around the main
an accuracy as low as 0.2 Hz, since the slip is frequencies and then applying a mathe-
relatively large (5% to 10%) and the motor is matical algorithm to identify the faulty
usually working near the nominal load. frequency.
However, in the case of large power induc-tion The first method implies a complex filter, which
motors the slip is small (often lower than 2%), is difficult to implement due to the proximity
and it is difficult to reach a proper detection of between the frequencies in the band.
the side band harmonics without increasing the On the other hand, the second solution also
frequency accuracy, and then the data presents problems due to the dynamic range of
acquisition time. Moreover, medium and large the A/D converter, which should be adjusted

J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors "

to the maximum excursion of the main current
Fig. 4. Stator current
spectrum of a dama- component, being then difficult to capture the
ged induction motor harmonic component with the necessary
driven by a power
accuracy.
inverter. Base
frequency of 50 Hz Both solutions lead to complex and expensive
electronics, which hinder their application to a
low cost industrial instrument.
3. PROPOSED METHOD
The proposed method is a modification of the
MCSA and can be useful in low power induction
machines and small stator currents. Also, the
method could be applied to high power
induction machines with small slip frequency
to simplify and to reduce the price of the data
acquisition system.
The basis is simple: applying a sinusoidal and
three-phase test signal on the stator for a limited
time, and amplitude small enough so as to avoid
undesirable effects in the normal operation of
the machine, and then studying the sideband
harmonics around the new frequencies that
appear due to the signal composition between
main and injected test frequencies.
It is possible to determine these new frequencies
that appear due to a composition between the
different frequencies. Obviously the serial
transformer employed to inject the test signal
as a complex system has been studied, being
careful with different effects as hysteresis
effects on the magnetic nucleus and winding
effects. Due to induction effects we expect to
see the main frequency and the auxiliary
frequency injected. However, as a contribution
of the magnetic nucleus and the iron’s
hysteresis two additional compositions appear,
defined by the following equations (5);
f c1 = 2 ⋅ f1 + ftest f c 2 = 2 ⋅ ftest + f1 (5)
" Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine • Vol. II, No 1, 2006
On the other hand, it is possible to determine
the effect of broken rotor bars in the motor’s
current spectrum, if the flux composition into
the stator and the mechanical composition of
frequencies like a speed composition have been
studied. In the stator there are different magnetic
fields due to the different signal injections. If
the different fields are considered like different
wheels moving around themselves with
different angular speeds, relative speeds
between one and the others will appear. Apart
from this, if we introduce the rotor, with its
mechanical speed, then it will be easy to define
the different relative speeds between the rotor
and all the different stator fields. Furthermore,
obviously if the rotor has saliencies such as
broken bars, this will have an effect on stator
currents as an image. The relation equations
between rotor currents and stator currents in
an induction machine establish one as an image
of the others. In an ideal induction machine, all
the different current distributions will be sine-
shaped like the fields, but there are many effects
that cause non-idealities. Moreover, the broken
rotor bars is a non-ideal effect and will cause
some marks in the current spectrum and around
the different injected signals.
To determine these different marks it is
necessary to study the composition of the
different frequencies, the different magnetic
fields induced in the machine, and the relative
speed between one and the others. The faulty
mark in the current spectrum is defined by the
equation (4) under the first harmonic. It is
possible to refer to the equation under the
injected frequency test if the magnetic and
mechanical relation speeds are considered. In
the motor there are different flows and it is
possible to establish a relationship between
flows, rotor angular speed and marks caused
by a rotor fault such as broken bars
Considering the rotor frequency as in (6):
n = f1 s (6)
it is possible to determinate the synchronic
speed of one frequency test signal, as in the
equation (7):
ftest
ns =
p (7)
2
Immediately it appears a relationship between
frequency test and rotor’s frequency as ns–n.
Defining electrical speed as function of pair of
poles and harmonic number i,
p
(n − n )
2 s (8)
i
Under the stator’s point of view it is necessary
to add rotor’s speed (relative speed between
stator and rotor):

p ( ns − n ) pn  p
+ n = s + n 1 −  (9)
i i  i 

which can be expressed as electrical speed:

pns + n (i − p / 2 )

ftest + n (1 − s )(i − p / 2 )
Fig. 5. Flow density
for 50Hz frequency
According to the first harmonic it is possible to
find the equation, due to the fault’s mark under
the spectrum in the frequency test side band as:

f fault = ftest + f1 ((1 − s ) ± ps / 2 ) (10)

A different injected frequency test will produce

different effects on the motor; several papers
[6] introduce to the injection theories for
sensorless control motors. These references
consider the motor as a band-pass. In order to
see this, it is possible to simulate the flow
density of current and field on the stator and
squirrel cage, using a software simulator and
Fig. 6. Flow density
introducing rotor and stator design, and the for 200 Hz frequency
frequency test. Figure 5 shows current flow
density for 50Hz frequency and Figure 6 shows
current flow density for 200Hz frequency, both
for the same voltage amplitude of the test signal.
Having a look at the figures we can see that for
200 Hz frequency test there is a bigger current
density, which confirms the idea that the motor
could be considered as a band-pass with 200
Hz of central frequency of the band. Then, in
order to take advantage of this behavior, we
will inject the frequency test as close as possible
to 200 Hz.
The experimental rig is based on the Normative
EN-61986-2002, whose block diagram is shown
in Figure 7.
In the figure, the main generator represents the Then, a new sideband harmonic appears around Fig. 7. Experimental
main supply of the motor, since the auxiliary set-up for the injection
these new frequencies, with specific faulty
of the test signals on
supply supplies the variable amplitude and frequencies supplied by a 4 poles motor (12). the motor
frequency test voltage. This auxiliary test
voltage has amplitude of about 30% of the main f fault = ftest + 2 f1 (1 ± s ) (12)
voltage, and a frequency of about 75% to 125%
of the main frequency.
New current harmonic components result from being p pairs of poles. Then, for p =2,
the rotating magnetic fluxes compositions [7],
which are supplied by equations (5). f fault = fc 1,2 ± 2sf1 (13)
f c1 = 2 f1 + ftest ; f c 2 = 2 ftest + f1 (11) Although the amplitude of these new
components is quite small, the ratio between
the faulty frequency and the generating

J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors "!

Fig. 8. High Band Current Spectrum at nominal speed. Healthy motor
Fig. 9. High Band Current Spectrum at nominal speed. Faulty motor
Fig. 10. High Band frequency is greater than the ratio found in the
Current Spectrum in standard components used in the classical
dB at nominal speed.
Faulty motor
MCSA.
Therefore, the proposed method consists in
capturing and analyzing these new current
spectral components which appear due to the
signal composition between main and test
frequencies.
"" Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine • Vol. II, No 1, 2006
To detect a fault, the power of one of the
sidebands around the test frequency is
monitored during a long time, looking for
specific harmonic amplitude increment. If such
harmonic increment appears but the load torque
has not changed, then the fault will be detected.
Compared with the standard MCSA method,
the only drawback is that it is necessary to
generate and apply the test signal to the stator
phases. The measurement of the current phases
was already being applied in the MCSA method
and for control purposes as well.
The selection of the signal test frequency is an
important matter. Several studies introduce the
idea of the signal injection into the supply
voltage for sensorless control [6]. Here, it is
suggested to apply these studies and results
to the problem of detecting broken rotor bars
and other motor faults. The selection of the
frequency is a trade-off between several
concerns. The carrier frequency must be high
enough to create a deep bar effect that prevents
the high frequency flux wave from substantially
linking to the rotor bars, but it must also be low
enough so that the skin effect in the rotor
laminations does not repel the flux from
penetrating below the rotor surface.
In a practical case, a low pass filter model of the
machine can be proposed, with the pole
frequency in 400 Hz, hence the fact that the
interaction between main and signal test
frequencies has to cause new harmonic
components lower than this value to get good
results.
4. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Several tests have been carried out taking the
former considerations into account, which
validate the idea of using auxiliary voltage test
signal and analyzing the side band harmonics
for the detection of a faulty induction motor.
4.1. Case 1: motor running at nominal speed
Main Supply, Vphase = 230Vrms f = 50Hz
Test voltage Vphase = 70Vrms f = 75Hz
n = 1398 rpm I = 1.9617 A
Figures 8, 9 and 10 show the current spectra
with no fault and the case with broken bars,
showing the frequencies around the side bands
due to flux compositions.
As it is clearly shown in the figures, new
components appear at frequencies done by the
equation (13), which are now:
f c1 = 2 f1 + ftest = 2 ⋅ 50 + 75 = 175Hz
f c 2 = 2 ftest + f1 = 2 ⋅ 75 + 50 = 200Hz
Moreover, faulty frequencies appear in fig. 9
due to broken rotor bars, the most important
component being at a frequency of:

f fault = fc 1 − 2sf1 = 175 − 2 1500 −1391 50 ≈ 167Hz

1500

These components are good indicators for

detecting faults in the motor. Once the side band
to analyze has been located, the high ratio
between faulty frequencies and reference
harmonics in the side band makes acquisition,
signal processing and identification of the faults
in the motor easier.

4.2. Case 2: motor running at low speed

Fig. 11. High Band Current Spectrum at low sped.
Main Supply, Vphase = 90Vrms f = 18Hz Healthy motor
Test voltage Vphase = 30Vrms f = 50Hz
n = 418rpm I = 1.621 A
The test is now performed with the motor
running at low speed, and at a test frequency
of 18Hz, farther from the fundamental frequency
than in the previous case. The results are shown
in figures 11 and 12.
The faulty components are also clearly shown
in Fig. 12, and their value regarding the
frequencies read in a healthy motor in the same
side band is high enough to be easily measured
and identified.

5. CONCLUSIONS
Experimental results corroborate the main aim
of the paper, and demonstrate the objective of
locating and identifying new current
components that appear as a consequence of
motor failures, namely broken rotor bars, but
also eccentricities and other faults. The location
of these components depends on the frequency
of the auxiliary voltage injected in the stator
windings, and also on the motor load, which
determines the slip frequency of operation.
These new components are more evident and
easier to measure than the faulty frequencies
used in standard MCSA.
Mention for VVVF converter supply:
Although the injected voltage was obtained
from an auxiliary generator through a serial
transformer, there is no problem to generate a
composed three-phase sine wave with the
desired test frequency by using a special
modulation reference in the Space Vector
Modulation block of the power inverter. For a
practical implementation in industrial
equipment, the frequency test signal should be
higher than the bandwidth of the current loop,
especially when vectorial control is applied to
IM. In that case, the choice of frequency test
signal will be the same as in sinusoidal Fig 12. High Band
application, more or less on the 80-200Hz band. Current Spectrum at
low sped. Faulty
In order to allow subharmonics due to the
motor
modulation we introduce a reactance high-pass
filter between the drive and the VVVF converter,
which cuts subharmonics due to an asyncron
modulation.
In this way, and considering that most modern
systems include their own internal current
sensors, the technique presented is promising
for simple usage in modern fault detection
equipment for induction machine drivers,
although new experiments should be carried out
using standard inverters instead of AC
generators.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the
economic support received from the “Ministerio
de Ciencia y Tecnología de España” (Spanish
Ministry of Science and Technology) for
carrying out this work under the DPI 2004-03180
Research Project.

J. Cusido et al.: New Fault Detection Techniques For Induction Motors "#
 REFERENCES
1. A l f o r d T . : Motor Current Analysis and its
Applications in Induction Motors Fault Diagnosis.
ENTEK IRD International Corporation. 1998
2. C a m e r o n J . R . , T h o m s o n W . T . , a n d
D o w A . B . : “Vibration and current monitoring
for detecting airgap eccentricity in large induction
motors”, IEE Proceedings, pp. 155–163, Vol.133,
Pt. B, No.3, May 1986.
3. M o h a m e d E l H a c h e m i B e n b o u z i d : “A
Review of Induction Motor Signature Analysis as a
Medium for Faults Detection”, IEEE Transactions
on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 47, 5, Oct 2000, pp.
984–993.
4. T h o m s o n W . T . , a n d F e n g e r M .: “Case
histories of current signature analysis to detect faults
in induction motor drives”, IEEE International
Conference on Electric Machines and Drives,
IEMDC’03, Vol. 3, pp. 1459–1465, June 2003
5. B a c h i r S . , T n a n i S . , C h a m p e n o i s
G . , a n d T r i g e a s s o u J . C .: “Induction Motor
Modelling of Broken Rotor Bars and Fault Detection
by Parameter Estimation”, IEEE Symposium on
Diagnostics for Electrical Machines, Power
Electronics and Drives SDEMPED 2001, pp 145–
149, Goritzia, Italy, September 2001.
6. H o l t z J .: “Sensorless Position Control of
Induction Motors: an Emerging Technology”, IEEE
Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 45, nº
6, Dec 1998, pp. 840–851.
7. K o s t e n k o M . , a n d P i o t r o v s k i L .:
Electrical Machines. MIR Publishers, Moscow, 1973.
Jordi Cusidó
was born in Sabadell, Spain, in 1979. He
received the Master engineering degree
from the Technical University of Catalonia
(UPC), in 2005. He has industrial
experience in electro-mechanical
engineering and is currently engineer and
research consulter for ABB Automation
Products SA, motor division.
Javier A. Rosero García
was born in Potosi (Colombia). He received
the degree in Electrical Engineering from
the Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia,
in 2002. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D.
degree at the Technical University of
Catalonia (UPC), Terrassa, Spain. His
research interests are focused on the areas
supervision, diagnosis and control of
electrical machines.
"$ Electric Power Quality and Utilization, Magazine • Vol. II, No 1, 2006
View publication stats
Emiliano Aldabas
was born in Teruel, Spain, in 1964. He
received the engineering degree and Ph.D.
degree from “Universitat Politècnica de
Catalunya” (UPC), in 1992 and 2002,
respectively. He joined the Electronic
Engineering Department (DEE) of the UPC
in 1993, where he first was an Assistant
Professor. In 1998 he became Lecturer of
the DEE.
His research interests are power electronics, modulation,
current controllers, adjustable-speed drives and high-
performance drive systems. He is specially interested in the
area of hysteresis current controllers for power inverters,
where he has authored several technical papers.
Dr. Aldabas is a member of the IEEE Industrial Electronics,
IEEE Power Electronics and IEEE Education Societies.
Juan A. Ortega
received the M.S. Telecommunication
Engineer and Ph.D. degrees in Electronics
from the “Universitat Politècnica de
Catalunya” (UPC) in 1994 and 1997,
respectively. In 1994, he joined the UPC
in the Department of Electronic
Engineering, as full time Associate
Lecturer teaching courses of
microprocessors and signal processing. In
1998, he obtained a tenured position as an Associate Professor
in the same UPC department. Since 2001 he belongs to the
Motion Control and Industrial Applications research group.
His current R&D areas include: Motor diagnosis, motion
control, signal acquisition, smart sensors and embedded
systems.
Dr. Ortega is a member of the IEEE, the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers.
Luis Romeral
was born in Asturias, Spain, in 1958. He
received the MEng and the Ph.D degrees
in electrical engineering from the
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya,
(UPC) in 1985 and 1995 respectively. In
1988 he joined the Electronic Engineering
Department of the UPC, where he is
currently Associate Professor. His research
interests include electric machines, power
electronics converters and modulation strategies, variable-
speed drive systems and fault detection algorithms. He has
authored more over 50 scientific papers published in
technical journals and conference proceedings. Over the
last seven years, 5 Ph.D. dissertations have been completed
under his supervision. His current activities include also
teaching and consulting in electric drives and programmable
electronics systems. He belongs to the Motion and Industrial
Control Group at the Electronic Engineering Department of
the UPC, which has in recent years established itself as one
of the more active motor drives research group in the
Technical Universities of Spain. The Group’s major research
activities concern the induction motor drive, enhanced
efficiency drives, intelligent self-commissioning drives, direct
torque controllers and sensorless vector drives.
Dr. Romeral is a Member of the IEEE Industrial Electronics
Society, European Power Electronics and Drives Association,
and the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC).
E-mail: romeral@eel.upc.edu