Fault Detection and Protection of Induction Motors Using Sensors

Protection of an induction motor (IM) against possible problems, such as overvoltage, overcurrent, overload, overtemperature, and undervoltage, occurring in the course of its operation is very important, because it is used intensively in industry as an actuator. IMs can be protected using some components, such as timers, contactors, voltage, and current relays. This method is known as the classical method that is very basic and involves mechanical dynamic parts. Computer and programmable integrated circuit (PIC) based protection methods have eliminated most of the mechanical components. However, the computer-based protection method requires an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) card, and the PIC-based protection method does not visualize the electrical parameters measured. In this study, for IMs, a new protection method based on a programmable logic controller (PLC) has been introduced. In this method, all contactors, timers, relays, and the conversion card are eliminated. Moreover, the voltages, the currents, the speed, and the temperature values of the motor, and the problems occurred in the system, are monitored and warning messages are shown on the computer screen. Experimental results show that the PLC-based protection method developed costs less, provides higher accuracy as well as safe and visual environment compared with the classical, the computer, and the PIC-based protection systems.