Adjustable-Speed Drive Bearing-Fault Detection Via Wavelet Packet Decomposition

Adjustable-speed drives perform many vital control functions in the industry, serving in such diverse applications as rolling mills, variable-speed compressors, fans, and pumps. When an adjustable-speed drive fails due to a bearing failure, it is usually catastrophic. Bearing defects introduce vibration anomalies that alter the current characteristic frequencies. This paper addresses the application of motor current signature analysis using wavelet packet decomposition to detect bearing faults in adjustable-speed drives.