I

I
fficiency and productivity improvements attainable through adjustable speed operation of process I
I
lines, air handling systems, water treatment facilities, paper and metal lines placed ac adjustable I
speed drives (ASDs) at the forefront of motor control. Simultaneously, modern high frequency I
I
swit-ching power devices, employing bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and faster insulated gate bipolar I
transistors (IGBTs), have produced unintended consequences on peripheral equipment, generally de- I
I
scribed as elcctromagnctic interference (EMI). I
The interaction ofASDs and motors has received considerable attention. Recent problems with bearing I
I
wear were reported with ac machines operating on or in the vicinity of an ASD [l-S]. Generally, bearing I
failures may be caused by mechanical vibration, thermal overload, or the conduction of electrical currents. I
I
Electrically induced failures historically centered on bearing currents caused by magnetic asymmetries in I
the construction of the motor; magnetic asymmetries induce end-to-end rotor shaft voltages, resulting in a I
circulating bearing current. This current was controlled by insulating the non-drive end of the motor 3 I
I
slraf~.With r h r usc oihigh carricr frcqucn'y ASDs, hvwcver, bearring problems developed at a higher rate 2 I
I
than in the past. In particular, the semiconductor cleanroom air-handling industry has been especially I
I
This article is a compilation offive papers presented at IBEE conferences in 1995 and 1996. The authors are with I
I
Rockwell AutomationlAllen-Bradley Co., Meyuon, Wis. Kerkman is an IEEE Senior Member; Schlegel is an IEEE I
Student Member: and Skihinski is an I E E E Member. I
I

1077-2618197/$10 0001997 IEBF /€€€ lndusfry Applications Mugmine November/Derember 1997

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I
I
I plagued with premature bearing failures, with a voltage to be less than 1 Vrms with 60 Hz ac line
I
I few applications noting motor bearing failures af- operation 1201. The historical cause of bearing cur-
I ter only a few months of operation 191. Although rents on sinewave operated ac motors dates back to
I
I insulated bearings or shaft grounding mechanisms 1924 and has been understood to be induced by ro-
I are often incorporated, bearing problems have per- tor voltages caused by magnetic asymmetries in-
I
I sisted. Recent research indicates soft switching herent in the motor construction [Zl]. The rotor
I topologies provide no benefit over hard switching voltage induced along the axial length of the ma-
I
I inverters, relevant to bearing currents and shaft chine produces a circulating current whose magni-
I voltages 171. tude is limited only by bearing impedance. This
I electro-magnetic ind.L-ed circubting current path in
I A bearing manufacturer has recounted that 10
I years ago few bearing failures were electrically in- Fig. 2 is from one end of the shaft, through the im-
I duced, however, recent data suggests 8% of all pedancc of thc bearing to frame ground, back
I
I electric motor bearing failures are electrically in- through the opposite bearing impedance, and re-
I duced, and that percentage is expected to increase turning back to the shaft 1221. Bearing impedance
I
I [lo}. Although any conclusion must be tempered is low (resistive) at low speeds and attains values in
I by realizing better and more accurate failure analy- the megohm range (capacitive)as motor speed in-
I
I ses are being performed, it is undeniable that a re- creases above 100 rpm.
I newed investigation of electrically induced Technical literature indicates that as speed in-
I
I bearing wear is warranted. Recent investigations creases, the balls ride on a lubricating oil film-0.2
I have shown possible mechanisms for bearing dam- to 2 lm-forming a boundary between race and
I
I age when operating on ASDs are dvldt-induced cur- ball, with the exception of instantaneous asperity
I rents and oil film dielectric breakdown with point contacts r237. This oil film acts as a capacitor
I
I electrical discharge machining (EDM) currents that gets charged by the rotor voltage. When the
I [l 1-15]. Ofthese two contributors, fluting, which voltage applied to the oil film capacitor exceeds the
I
I is characterized by the appearance of either pits or voltage the film can sustain or when a ball bearing
I transverse grooves in the bearing race, is caused by asperity point contacts the raceway in a small con-
I
I
EDM currents. Fluting has historically been asso- tact area, then a destructive instantaneous high
I ciated with the onset of a type of mechanical wear discharge current (EDM) of the film capacitor
I that can result in bearing failure. Fig. 1 shows an
I takes place to pit the bearing. The amount of me-
I advanced state of this bearing wear, initiated by chanical damage depends on the magnitude of
I EDM 1161.
I
bearing current density defined as the amplitude
I This article will review recent investigations divided by bearing contact area. A large bearing
I into reduced bearing life due to voltage source contact area can dissipate the heat even in the pres-
I
I ASD motor operation. Relevant bearing failure ence of high EDM current magnitudes [ 2 3 ] .
I mechanisms and indicators will be discussed. dvldt NEMA MG1 recommends a rotor voltage of less
I
I and EDM contributions are discussed and experi- than 1 Vrms, which reduces resulting bearing cur-
I mental data presented showing the voltage levels rent magnitudes to safe levels that prevent fluting
I
I on motor shafts when operating with ASDs. {20}.Bearing current problems on utility sinewave
I Finally, techniques to reduce shaft voltage are power have been a concern for larger hp ac motors,
I
I discussed, along with the electrical characteristics since only then is end-to-end voltage magnitude
I and interaction of system components. large enough to charge the oil film capacitor to
I
I breakdown voltages. The historic solution to this
I electro-magneticinduced phenomenon is to break the
I Historicul ~erspe~i;ve series circuit oil film charging path by using insu-
I Advances in steel metallurgy and lubrication tech-
I lated bearings on the non-drive end, thus inserting
I nology have led to a thinner layer of oil between the more capacitance in series with the bearing.
I
I
ball and race, which minimizes friction, maximizes Bearing current density has been established on
I performance, and drastically increases bearing life.
I
sinewave-driven machines to predict bearing life
Thus, the bearing has been developed into an in-
I
I dustry workhorse with long life expectancy and
I limited failures { 171.The bearing life for industrial
I
I applications is typically 20,000-40,000 hours
I 1181, with useful mechanical life approaching
I
I 40,000-60,000hours 1191.Factors contributing to
I failures of properly installed bearings include the
I
I duty cycles of the applied load and speed, and the
I lubrication method, selection, maintenance inter-
I
I val, and contamination.
I All rotating machines develop bearing cur-
I Fig. 1 , Surfuce roughness of u bull bearing ruce due
I
rents, whether dc or ac, large or small horsepower.
I NEMA regulations dictate the maximum shaft to electriculputing 41 6).
I

IEEE Industry Appkcotions Mojazine m November/December 1997

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under the influence of current passing through the tent shorting ofCb through microscopic point con- I
bearing. The authors have examined current den- tacts ofthe ball and race. Fig. 7 shows the capacitor I
I
sity data and developed a graphical representation coupling path from the stator lamination slot I
of the expected life of a bearing as a function of cur- openings and end windings thru the Csr air gap to I
I
rent density 1121. Fig. 3 presents this data, from the rotor shaft, down through the inner bearing I
which it is ascertained that under sinewave excita- race, ball bearing, oil film Cb and out to the bearing I
I
tion, ifcurrent densities are less than 0.4 A rmsisq. outer race to frame ground. Two key elements are I
mm, then the life of the bearing is only limited by what voltage conditions will break down the insu- I
I
mechanical factors [24].As the current density in- lating oil film, and the resulting bearing current I
creases, however, a precipitous decline in life can be densities with their effect on bearing life. The I
I
expected; thus at current densities greater than 1 A authors have developed a formula, the Bearing I
rmsisq. mm the effective life of the bearing is less Voltage Ratio (BVR), which predicts the I
I
than 1000 hrs. interaction between the machine capacitances and I
Fig. 4 shows the stator neutral to ground volt- rotor shaft voltage. The BVR suggests an increase I
I
age (Vsng),rotor shaft voltage to ground (Vrg),and in Cb or CrJwould proportionally decrease Vrg.Cyf I
bearing current (Ib) for a standard machine operat- is dependant on machine design, while many I
ing on a sinewave utility at 60 Hz, 460 Vrms, and parameters affect the value of Cb, as discussed in I
I
no-load. The test fixture employed is displayed in the next section. I
Fig. 5. With sinewave operation no EDM currents I
I
were detected and the 30 V peak Vsng induces ap- csr - vrg
-- I
BVR =
proximately 1V peak on the rotor. The Ib is 15 mA Csr + Cb + Cvf Vsng
I
I
peak. Examining Fig. 3 , this level of bearing cur- I
rent does not significantly reduce bearing life. I
Fig. 6 shows that when the ball bearing asperity I
point contacts puncture through the Cb oil film, I
Bearings and ASDs Vrg is zero. When the microscopic point contacts
I
I
Recently, the authors have demonstrated that are open, Cb is allowed to charge by the capacitor I
ASDs produce shaft voltages unlike those with ac I
divider action between Cb, Cvf, and Csr, synchro- I
line operation [11-15]. In contrast to traditional nous with the Vsng modulation as in Fig. 6. A de- I
electro-magnetic effects found in sinewave-driven structive 3.5 A peak EDM current discharge,
I
I
machines, all types of PWM inverters excite an occurring in less than 100 ns and pitting the bear- I
electrostatic capacitive coupling effect between the ing race, is shown when Vsng charges Vrg beyond I
stator and rotor, creating Vrg. The Vsng on sine- I
the 30 V peak breakdown voltage ofthe bearing oil I
wave operation is in the range of 30 V peak and si- lubricant film. The result is an EDM current im- I
nusoidal, while Vsng on ASDs may reach hundreds I
pulse through a small localized bearing contact I
of volts due to PWM modulation, as in Fig. 6. area. Fig. 8 shows a time-expanded plot of Fig. 6 I
Maximum Vsng is a zero sequence source of ap- I
with the Vsng capacitively coupled to the Vrg, I
proximately Vbusi2, but may have transient edges which charges the bearing oil film beyond a break- I
of higher values associated with common mode I
down threshold of 15 V peakipm, and followed by I
components and long cable runs. Now Vrg is dic- I
an instantaneous EDM discharge. Current density
tated by the common mode voltage of the ASD’s I
with EDM peak currents occurring is high enough I
modulator, the coupling impedance between the I
to cause damage and reduce bearing life. Current
stator and rotor, and the bearing impedance. Even I
density (A peakisq. mm) is defined as the EDM Ib I
though machines may not exhibit magnetic asym- I
metries that induce excessive end-to-end shaft I

voltage with line operation, they may produce suf-

ficient Vrg with ASD operation to cause EDMs and
subsequent bearing wear.
The zero sequence source is shown schemati-
cally in Fig. 7. The main coupling mechanism for
Vrg is the stator-to-rotor capacitance (Csr), which
is a low impedance at PWM frequencies and allows
charging and discharging of the rotor through the
bearing oil film capacitor (Cb). Stator winding slot
capacitance to frame (CsJ) and rotor to frame ca-
pacitance (Crfj are also included for a complete
model, but are not as dominant as the Csr path for
Cb charging. Steel ball bearing resistance is de-
noted as Rb, while Z1 is a non linear impedance that
either represents a bearing oil film dielectric break-
down occurrence or a random mechanical intermit- Fig. 2. Historical electromagnetic induced circulating current 122).
I

I€€€fndusfry Applications Magazine m November/December 1997

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I RegionA (150-250 ms) depicts the shaft charg-
I
I ing to a potential of approximately 2 0 V peak. At
I the end of Region A, Vsng modulates to a higher
I
I level causing the Vrg to increase. The oil film
I breaks down at 35 V peak, creating a 3 A peak
I
I EDM pulse. The voltage level required for an
I EDM current depends on many factors; oil film
I
I thickness is one. Oil film thicknesses typically
I vary from 0.2 to 2 pm, depending on oil tempera-
I
I ture. Lower film thicknesses occur at higher bear-
I ing temperatures, resulting in breakdown values
I
I decreasing to 6-10 volts.
I Reg& B (350-425 ms) represents a charging
I
I and discharging of the bearing without EDM cur-
I rent. The power device rise time determines dddt
I
I current levels. Low level currents coincident with
I Fig. 3. Predicted beuring l+e using bearing current no charging of the rotor shaft are indicative of
I
I density .[Almm2}. dvldt currents rather than the larger magnitude
I EDM currents.
I
I
discharge divided by the localized bearing surface Region C (90-125ms) shows the rotor and bear-
I contact area between ball and race. Fig. 3 shows ing charging, but to a much lower voltage level
I that as the current density increases, the mechani- before EDM discharge. Here, rolling asperity
I
I cal life may quickly decrease after a certain (A contacts reduce the film thickness, resulting in a
I peakisq. mm) threshold value is reached. lower Vyg when compared to Region A, inducing
I
I There are also smaller currents of less than 250 an EDM discharge. Regions of Vrg at 0 V with
I mA peak magnitude that occur with every dvldt V m g at high levels are explained by asperity con-
I
I switch of the inverter in Fig. 6. It is believed that tacts shorting out the bearing capacitance (Cb) to
I the current density is within the safe zone of Fig. 3 a low resistance.
I
I and is not high enough to cause fluting damage.
I Therefore, the fluting damage is based on higher
I
magnitude EDM currents and not dvldt current. Shaft Voltage Couphg Mechanism
I
I Fig. 5 shows the physical construction of a test mo-
I tor for purposes of investigating Ih. Both the drive
I
I A motor’s shaft voltage indicates the propensity for and non-drive ends were outfitted with an insu-
I
EDM currents; Vrg serves as a signature of the ac lated bearing support sleeve, which isolated the ro-
I
I machine. However, it alone does not determine tor bearings from the motor frame. A brush was
I whether an EDM current occurs. As an example, mounted on the rotor shaft to measure Vrg.
I
I Fig. 9 shows three different phenomena occurring Grounding straps (three inches long) were avail-
I in the bearing; Regions A and B are due to electri- able to short the isolated outer bearing race to
I
I cal modes, and Region C is a mechanical mode. frame, which simulates normal operation, and pro-
vide a mechanism for measuring Ih.

Electricul und Mechunicul Vuriubles

The three-phase inverter motor model is shown in
Fig. 7. The load consists of two sets of three phase
impedances, one for the stator and the other for the
rotor, presenting positive, negative, and zero se-
quence (YO and LO)impedances coupled by an
equivalent ?T network ofmachine capacitances. The
common mode equivalent or zero sequence portion
of the motor model is shown in Fig. 10. This model
includes system components (common mode
chokes, inline reactors, and cables), which present
common mode impedances (ZserieJ-and Zparallel )
to the common mode inverter voltage and provides
a simplified model for simulation, analysis, and ap-
plication purposes. The value of the common mode
components equals one-third of the stator resis-
tance (YO) in series with one-third of the stator leak-
Fig. 4 . AC line operation of a n induction motor. age inductance (Lo).
I

/€Elndosfry App/icofionsMagazine I November/Derember 1997

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Machine capacitance: Each turn of the stator con- Lubricant viscosity (q): A bearing's capacitance I
tributes capacitance to frame; Csfrepresenting the I
depends on the thickness of the lubricant and its I
aggregate stator to frame capacitance. Similarly, flow characteristics. As temperature increases, the I
the rotor serves to establish a capacitive return I
viscosity decreases, ultimately reducing the film I
path; Crf representing the aggregate capacitance layer thickness. An increase in base viscosity will I
from rotor to frame. The coupling mechanism for I
lower the heat transfer coefficient and accelerate I
Vrg is the Csr. At PWM frequencies, Csr presents a oxidation. A decrease in base viscosity reduces oil I
low impedance path between the stator and rotor I
film thickness, which may accelerate bearing wear. I
and allows the charging and discharging of the ro- Lubricant additives (A): Commercial lubricants I
tor through Cb. Each capacitance was calculated I
are complex blends, with individual additives cho- I
using standard geometric shapes, Csfmodeled as a
wire and a plate; Csr modeled as parallel plates; Crf
modeled as two concentric cylinders; and Cb mod-
eled as concentric spheres [25f.
The bearing model, however, is complex, with
many characteristics influencing the values o f the
model parameters. Initially, a simple model is
employed in Figs. 7 and 10, one composed of a
bearing resistance (Rb) in milliohms, in series
Carbon
with the parallel combination of Cb and a nonlin-
ear impedance (ZI),representing the intermittent
shorting of Cb through asperity point contact or
bearing oil film breakdown.
The calculated capacitance values, using manu-
facturers' physical dimension design data for 5 to
1000 hp motors, indicate that Csr, C.f, and Crfca-
pacitance values increase with horsepower, consis-
tent with the increasing motor frame size. C6
decreases with horsepower, due to the larger me-
chanical tolerances and changing bearing internal
clearances. The potential for Vrg and EDM cur-
rents depend on the existence of Cb. Furthermore, the
heaving inqedance becomes capacitive only when a lubri-
cant film occurs in the contact regions between all the balls
or rollers and raceways in all the parallel bearing paths. Fig. 5 . 15 hp test fixture construction.
This implies that every motor application is a
unique capacitive system that requires individual
analysis. Parameters affecting the bearing ca- 8:
pacitance model (Cb) are discussed next. e S t a t o r Neutral 1PU = 500 V Offset 5
Mechanical load (e): Bearing contact area estab- 7 :-- +Rotor Voltage 1PU = 10 V Offset 2
oflotor Current 1PU = 500 mA
lishes the current density at the point ofcontact be-
tween the bearing and race. Thus, with increasing
bearing load, the contact area increases, which de-
Vsng
creases the bearing current density E261. The oc-
currence of Vrg (independent of torque load)
confirmed bearing or lateral load determines con-
tact area, while load torque and vibration due to
inverter harmonics have a lesser effect.
Motorspeed(U):The existence of Vrg depends on
the velocity of the lubricant and the motor's me-
" rg

chanical speed 1277.At low speed, the balls ran- - EDM

domly make quasi-contact with the races and
prevent Vrg buildup. With increasing speed, the lb
balls ride a thin layer of lubricant, the thickness of
which is a function of the lubricant's velocity. - dV/dt
Ttmperdtzlre (0: The temperature of the bearing
depends on the load, speed, mechanical alignment, 0 1 2 3 4
and lubricant characteristics [as]. The tempera- Time (ms)
ture rise due to localized heating from EDM and
dvldt currents reduces the oil film thickness. Fig. 6. AC drive operation-normal bearings.
I

/E€Industry ApplicotiansMugozine Navember/December I 997

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I
I
I
I
I
I
I sen for their relative abilities to combat corrosion, The Percent Film os. Lambda Curve (Fig. 12),
I
I friction, and wear. Most bearing manufacturers use which is inversely related to the Stribeck curve,
I a high-resistivity, high-quality polyurea-based Su- shows the mechanical asperity point contact or
I
I per Rust Inhibitor (SRI) grease for its high speed, wear between the bearing surfaces 1261. It is a
I low noise, and water-absorbing characteristics measurement of the oil film coverage, which is the
I
I [lo}. The SRI'Sdielectric insulation resistance is in amount of time the contacting surfaces are fully
I the megohm region. separated by an oil or lubricating film, as a function
I
I Oilfzlm thickness (A): The Stribeck Curve of Fig. of lambda (A), which is the relationship of lubri-
I cant film thickness to rms value of contact surface
I 11 describes friction us. (q V / P ) , with oil viscosity
I (q), velocity ( U ) and pressure ( P ) , divided into roughness. The A < 1 region of Fig. 12 indicates
I
I three regimes [19]. At startup or low sliding high asperity point contact, resulting in low me-
I speeds within the boundary film region (< 1 5 rpm), chanical life and decreased probability of EDM
I
I asperity contacts result in high wear and friction. damage, since the oil film is minimized. The A >
I As the speed increases and the bearing enters the 3.5 region of Fig. 1 2 indicates minute asperity
I
I mixed-film region, the load between the two sur- point contact, resulting in high mechanical life but
I faces is supported partly by the asperities and increased probability of EDM damage due to the
I
I partly by a lubricating film, resulting in moderate charging and discharge of Cb.
I amounts of wear. As the bearing enters the hydro- Dielectric constant (E, ) and dielectric strength of lu-
I dynamic film region (>90 rpm), the two surfaces brzcants: The insulating properties of any material
I
I are separated by a full lubricant film, resulting in are dependent on its dielectric characteristics and
I minimal wear [29}, but with a high value of Cb. ability to withstand high voltage - without electri-
I
I tal breakdown. The
I Drive Stator Rotor breakdown strength of
I I I
I dielectric materials in-
I creases dramatically
I
I over the static value
I with pulse duration, as
I
I in Fig. 13 for hexane
I 1301. With the bearing
I
I riding the lubricant
I and forming a capaci-
I
I
tor, the common mode
I source charges the ro-
I
I
tor shaft to a voltage in
Fig. 7. Three-phase inverterlmotor model.
I excess of the lubri-
I cant's electric field in-
I
I tensity, believed to be
I approximately 1 5 V
I
I peakipm. Given rypi-
I
I cal l u b r i c a n t f i l m
I thickness, Vrgin excess
I of 2 V peak--under
I
I sinewave excitation--
I cause oil film break-
I
I down and EDM cur-
I rents. Testing with
I
I ASD excitation ex-
I tends the withstand
I
I voltage to a threshold
I of 3 to 30 V peak be-
I
I fore film dielectric
I breakdown and the po-
I
I tential of EDM exists.
I The complex
I
I interaction of several
I parameters (Q, U , T ,ll,
I
I h, A, E?) have a
I dramatic effect on Cb.
I
I As described above.
I Fig. 8. EDM cupacitiue charging characteristics.
I

lfff IndustryApplicaiions Magazine m November/December I 997

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each has an individual effect, but together, they can Proposed Solutions for the Shuft Voltuge Buildup I
I
alter Cb by orders of magnitude. Recall, the BVR With the recognition that PWM inverter drives I
indicates the value of C b has a inversely can potentially reduce bearing life, numerous solu- I
proportional effect on the Vrg. tions have been proposed ranging from lubricant I
I
alterations, third party apparatus, inverter design I
alterations, and motor construction modifications. I
An Improved Beuring Model I
One approach incorporates a conductive agent I
For an EDM to occur, all the balls in a beating with the lubricant. A conductive grease is formed I
must be separated from the race by a dielectric I
by suspending metallic particles in the grease. I
film; the race, film, and balls forming a capacitor. Laboratory test data on a four-ball wear tester indi- I
The electrical and mechanical characteristics of I
cates the wear scar-mechanical surface dam- I
the bearing, therefore, determine the bearing’s age-increases by approximately 60% when the I
propensity for fluting. At zero speed, the bearing conductive agent is added. This indicates the con- I
resistance is milli-ohms; as motor speed increases, I
ductive agent in the grease accelerates mechanical I
the bearing resistance attains values in the me- wear and would shorten the life of a bearing [32]. I
I
gohm range with high-resistivity grease. This A second approach attaches a mechanical appa- I
nonconductive bearing characteristic with in- ratus to the rotor shaft and “bleeds” the voltage I
creasing speed suggests a transition from a resis- I
with a brush to ground E331. This method is cur- I
tive element to a more capacitive element as the rently used in numerous applications. This ap- I
balls ride the film. Based on further analysis, an I
proach requires a low-resistance contact between
improved per ball bearing model is proposed and the brush and rotor, a condition that field experi-
presented in Fig. 14. The model divides the lubri- ence indicates is difficult because of brush wear and
cant into three regions (outer race oxide, buik the build up of an oxide layer. The fast transient
layer, inner race oxide) E311 and the parametric switching edges of a modern lGBT PWM inverter
input channels (Q, U , T , q , h, A, E r ) . With this may not be eliminated with the use of a shaft brush.
model, researchers across a broad range of disci- Another approach incorporates an insulating
plines have the opportunity of examining the layer forming an additional capacitance (Cin) in se-
problem of EDM and dddt bearing damage. ries with Cb, which redistributes Vrg between the
two series capacitors [SI. For this to be effective Gin
< < Cb, thus reducing the voltage across the bearing
Reduced-Order Model and Design Equutions relative to standard machine construction. Ceramic I
The common mode model of Fig. 10 adequately ball bearings have also been proposed, but with I
describes most of the observed phenomena associ- I
added cost and significant lead times. There are at I
ated with shaft voltages and common mode cur- least two drawbacks with insulating mechanisms. I
rents. However, the complexity of this model often I
The first is a thermal limitation, due to significant I
obscures the cause and effect of PWM voltage heat flow from rotor losses that are dissipated via I
source inverters on Vrg and Ib. A reduced-order I
I
model replaces the z capacitance network and rotor
impedances with a single capacitance. The equiva-
lent capacitance, (Ceq), equals [Csf // ( Csr + Crf //
Cb)], the Csfin parallel with the series combina-
tion of Csr and the parallel combination of Crfand
Cb. The reduced-order model provides a simple
tool retaining the important effects of common
mode chokes, in-line reactors, output filters, and
long cables on the Vmg of the machine.
The authors have demonstrated how modern
voltage source inverters serve as a source of Vrg
through the capacitive coupling of the common
mode voltage from stator to rotor. A simple rela-
tionship, the BVR provides substantial informa-
tion about the rotor shaft charge and discharge
phenomena. Induction machines typically have a
BVR ofapproximately 0.1, regardlessofpower rat-
ing. Knowing the relative weighting of the ma-
chine capacitances, the BVR provides an estimate
of Vrg with a given Vsng. Thus, for a 460 volt sys-
tem having a Vsng equal to one-half bus voltage, or
350 Vdc, yields a potential Vrg in the neighbor-
hood of 35 V peak. A Vvg of this magnitude is suffi-
cient to cause EDM discharge. Fig. 9. Modes of bearing breakdown mechanisms with a n IGBT drive

IFF€ Industry Applicntions Mngnzine November/December 1997

I
I
I
I
I
I
I pling. The expectant
I
I attenuation ratio is the
I proportion of the area
I
I shielded to the total
I area b e t w e e n t h e
I
I source and receiver,
I which also predicts its
I
I
efficiency. W i t h a
I shield, the electro-
I magnetic torque is un-
I
I affected, and t h e
I machine’s torque capa-
I
I bility is not impaired.
I Fig. 10. Comnzon mode equivalent model. The shield’s effect on
I
I electrostatic coupling,
I however, is dramatic
I
I and nearly complete
I 111-151.
I
I
I Construction
I
I of the ESlM
I Inserting a Faraday
I shield into the air gap
I
I of a motor must be ac-
I complished without
I
I short-circuiting the
I stator laminations or
I
I bridging the air gap;
I shorting the stator
I
I laminations would in-
I duce circulating eddy
I
I currents and cause lo-
I Fig. 1 1 . Stribeck curue for lubrication analysis. calized heating of the
I
I stator stack, and
I bearing metal-to-metal contact with the motor bridging the air gap impedes the mechanical rota-
I
I frame. The second shortcoming is the concern over tion and magnetic induction or torque-producing
I high voltage coupled onto an insulated rotor shaft. component. Several techniques were used to con-
I
I Other passive techniques use a potential trans- struct the ESIM, each using a conductive copper
I former or coupling L-C filter. In both approaches, surface to collect and attenuate the electrostati-
I
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common mode signals are formed and are either cally coupled voltage to ground.
I coupled to the line voltages with opposite phase, Copper foil tape: A Faraday shield was con-
I reducing the common mode voltage, or return structed by adhering copper foil tape to the stator
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I common mode current to the inverter through an laminations, forming a continuous copper surface
I additional bridge rectifier 134,351. However, this in the air gap between the stator and rotor. To com-
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I requires tuning the conponent ualues t o ensure adequate plete the shielding, the stator end windings were
I attengation of the undesirable common mode source. covered with a circular nomex ring, lined with cop-
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I An active approach uses an additional pole with per foil tape and connected to ground.
I the standard inverter topology. The fourth pole is Copper foil take on the s l o t stick covers: A second
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I controlled to reduce common mode voltage to ac- Faraday shield was constructed using copper foil
I ceptable levels, but requires additional power elec- tape built into each slot stick cover and grounded.
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I tronics 1361. The stator end windings were shielded using circu-
I Finally, the electrostatic shielded induction lar nomex rings covered with copper tape and con-
I
I motor (ESIM), proposed by the authors, has an in- nected to ground.
I ternally mounted Faraday shield to diminish the Conductive coppev paint: A third Faraday shield
I coupling between the stator and rotor (reducing was constructed by spraying a conductive copper
I
I Csr). A Faraday shield functions in a manner simi- paint onto the entire length of the stator, includ-
I
I
lar to EM1 shields; a shield is typically inserted be- ing end windings, after an additional insulating
I tween a radiating source (Vsource)and the area to be varnish was applied to the stator laminations and
I protected (Vrg)along the conductive medium (Csv) end winding.
I
I to eliminate the mechanism for capacitive cou-
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/ F E Industry Applicotions Mogazine m November/Detember 1997

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 Experimental Verification of the ESlM
When a Faraday or electrostatic shield is inserted
between the stator and rotor, the coupling capaci-
tance from stator to rotor is defeated, thus reducing
the dvldt and limiting voltage tracking by the ro-
tor. Because the induction machine generates
torque through magnetic induction, the presence
of the shield will not affect motor output ratings.
The experimental results presented confirm EDM
bearing currents are induced primarily by electro-
static coupling.
Verification of the open circuit Vrg consisted of
tests with the grounding strap of Fig. 5 open cir-
cuited, leaving the insulating sleeve to isolate the
rotor from the frame. With the grounding strap
open, the Vrg i s strikingly different from the Vrg of
Fig. 6, where the grounding strap was in place. The
tracking of the V r g by the Vrg confirms the capaci-
tive ratios as indicated by the common mode
model of Fig. 10.

Experimentdl Results fronz the ESIMs

Each ESIM configuration was evaluated for shield
effectiveness as a function of surface coverage area
and while under the influence of installed system
components, such as common mode chokes, in-line I
series reactors, and long cables. In addition, each Fig. 12. Percent film ws. lambda for a bearing -1261. I
I
ESIM configuration was tested at no-load and I
loaded conditions and was evaluated for shielding, ual voltage is due to the stray coupling from the I
end windings circumventing the shield. Compared I
thermal, and electromechanical effectiveness. I
Shield effectiveness: To determine the shield’s ef- to the standard induction machine, the ESIM re- I
fectiveness, the open ground strap Vrg measure- duced the open circuit Vrg by 20 to I and main- I
I
ment of 40 V peak was used as a benchmark. The tains Vrg at levels comparable t o NEMA I
attenuation of Vty was accurately predicted as a specifications. A summary of ESIM attenuation I
with open bearings is presented in Table 1. I
function of surface coverage for each ESIM, with I
over 90% attenuation measured with full coverage, The standard machine was simulated by float- I
ing the shield and connecting the bearing shorting I
independent of loading characteristics. The resid- I
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lFFF Industry Applicotions Mogozine m November/December I997

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I straps to ground. The reference measurements of
I
I Fig. 6, indicated values of Vrg (10 V peak), duldt
I current (200-500 mApeak), andEDM current (3.5
I
I A peak). The ESIM, with stator lamination stack
I shield in place and strap grounded, reduced dvldt
I
I currents from 200-500 mA peak to 18 mA peak,
I while no EDM currents were detected. With the
I
I end winding shields in place and connecting the
I grounding strap, only 17 mA peak of dddt current
I
I was measured and again, no EDM current de-
I tected. The ESIM has a 29 to l reduction in dddr
I
I current and eliminates the EDM current when
I compared to a standard machine. The Vrg-rotor
I shaft voltage-failed to yield an electric field in-
I
I tensity level to break down the lubricant, thereby Fig. 13. Dielectric strength of hexane as a function
I causing EDM currents, while maintaining a Vrg ofpulse duration
I
I close to NEMA acceptable limits of 1 Vrms. A
I summary of the characteristics of ESIM and the load and full load tests were conducted on each
I
I standard machine is presented in Table 2 . ESIM, which had class F insulation (155 degrees
I System componentJ: To examine the effecciveness C). The ESIMs demonstrated uniform heating of
I the stator laminations, Faraday shield and case.
I of ESIM, tests were performed using typical sys-
I tem components and applications. In each case, The motor had a temperature rise of less than 50
I
I the ESIM reduces Vrg to approximately 5 - 10% of degrees C while unloaded, and a temperature rise
I the value without the Faraday shield. This dem- of less than 7 5 degrees C when fully loaded. When
I compared to the thermal profile of a reference in-
I onstrates the universality of the ESIM as a solu-
I tion to the electrostatic shaft voltage and bearing duction machine, no significant differences were
I observed; this indicates the shield has negligible
I current problem, Fig. 15 shows the response of
I Vrg with a common mode choke of 270 pH and effect on the electromechanical performance.
I
I 2.6 Q inserted between the inverter output and
I Evaluation w i t h Common Mode Components
the ESIM. In Fig, 1 5 , the Vrg is reduced by a factor
I With the advent of IGBT inverter drives, com-
I of 30 with the ESIM.
I mon mode noise presents a significant challenge
Thermal analysis: Because the life expectancy of
I to drive design. Common mode chokes and trans-
I organic insulations decrease 50% for every 8-12
formers inserted between the inverter output and
I degrees C rise [20, 371, and because of differing
I the load motor provide additional impedance to
I thermal expansions of the materials, the ESIMs were
I common mode current without affecting the fun-
subjected to thermal tests, The tests’ purpose were
I damental component. A different approach in-
I to determine the heating characteristics of che ESIM
serts a three-phase line reactor, but at the price of
I and establish the shield’s electrical and mechanical
I reduced fundamental voltage at the terminals of
I performance.For this purpose, seven thermocouples
the machine. Cable length has an important effect
I were placed in the machine: Four on the stator stack,
I on the dddt current, and an equally important ef-
I two on the end windings, and one on the case. No
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/E€€ lndusiry ApplicafionsMagazine November/Decemher 1997

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fect on Vrg and 16 discharge as it alters the imped- Summary I
I
ance of the drive to motor interface, similar to that This article presents a review of electrically in- I
of the common mode choke. The reduced damping duced bearing surface roughness or fluting for ac
associated with common mode components causes machines under low-frequency sinewaveand mod-
the machine’s neutral voltage to overshoot the ern IGBT PWM ASD operation. Electrostatic cou-
steady state value for each switching instant and pled displacement (dvldt) and electric discharge
provides the rotor the opportunity to charge once machining (EDM) currents were identified and ex-
the bearing rides the lubricant film. Fig. 15 shows p e r i m e n t a l l y measured. Three-phase a n d
the response of Vrg with a common mode choke of common-mode models were developed to demon-
270 p H and 2.6 SZ inserted between the inverter strate the drive system and its capacitive coupling
output and load motor. mechanism. An electrical bearing model was de-
veloped incorporating the electrical and mechani-
Bearing life Projection with ESlM cal variables. T h e sources a n d c o u p l i n g
The measured Vrg is an indicator of the potential
for Ib, with mechanical damage from fluting de-
pending on the passage of electrical current
through the bearing [23]. When Vrg > Vth, the
electric field intensity is greater than the withstand
field of the lubricant and an EDM occurs, poten-
tially raising the bearing current density (A
2
rmsimm ) to excessively high values; thus, the
bearing’s mechanical life is reduced E381. Estab-
lishing a maximum allowable bearing current
magnitude can be accomplished by knowing the
surface contact area, magnitude of the passing cur-
rent, and grease composition. Literature (histori-
cally based on 60 Hz, sinewave, A rms, at rated
base speed) indicates a bearing current density of
2
less than 0.4 A rmsimm as a safe condition, allow-
ing bearing life of 50,000 hours without electri-
cally influenced damage. The authors converted
2
historical current density (A rmslmm ) t o estimate
life as shown in Fig. 3 with EDM and dv/dt bearing
current under PWM operation. Based on this analy-
sis, the authors propose the maximum bearing current
density with P W M drives t o be less than 0.8 ( Apeak I
2
m m ) to insure bearing current does not limit the me-
chanical l;fe of the bearing. Fig. 14. Improved bearing model.
Bearing contact area was calculated for appli-
cations with no shaft load (rotor weight alone) and
with three times rotor weight. Bearing current
mechanisms for shaft voltage breakdown-the oc-
density is defined as measured peak EDM and
dvldt currents divided by calculated contact area. currence of rotor shaft voltage and the resulting
Estimated bearing life is found from Fig. 3. The bearing currents-was presented with all the
breakdown components identified and a review of
process was repeated with EDM and dvldt currents
measured with the ESIM. Uncoupled motors are the industry’s proposed solutions.
The Electrostatic Shielded Induction Motor
more susceptible to EDM bearing damage than
(ESIM) was proposed and experimentally verified
loaded motors as demonstrated in Table 3. Calcu-
lated bearing life must be tempered by realizing as a solution to the rotor shaft voltage and the re-
sulting bearing current, where the ESIM is capable
the difficulty ofdetermining contact area and that
of reducing shaft voltage to near NEMA acceptable
worst case contact area with one ball was assumed.
Accurate life predictions are difficult due to the levels, promoting reasonable bearing life.
It appears the most promising solution to the
steepness of the life curve. Table 3 shows the
motor bearing current problem, when used with
ESIM appears promising as a solution to bearing
current problems, since destructive EDM cur- ASDs is to use the electromagnetic induction prin-
ciples of Tesla, combined with the electrostatic
rents are eliminated and dvIa’t current is reduced
to <50 mA peak. principles of Faraday into a single machine, desig-
nated the ESIM.

lfff Industry ApplirotionsMogozine m November/Derember 1997

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 PWM Drives," IECON '95, IEEE 21" Annual Industrial
Elecrronics Conference, Nov 6-10, 1995, vol. 1, pp. 698-
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I

IEEE Industry ApplicationsMagazine = November/December 1997