Interturn faults are a significant problem in power transformers that can eventually burgeon into catastrophic faults and likely result in an overall network failure. The main problem with SFRA as one of the well-recognized diagnostic tools for detecting winding faults is its restriction to the domain of offline testing since the method requires injection of a test signal into the transformer windings through the high-voltage bushings. To address the difficulties arising from this issue, in this contribution, a new technique for online transfer function monitoring of the power transformers windings through a quite simple, economic, and noninvasive capacitive sensor installed on the surface of the transformer bushing is presented. Interturn faults with various levels of severity were imposed on the winding of a 35-kV/400-V, 100-kVA oil-immersed distribution transformer to evaluate the feasibility and sensitivity of the method. The experimental results proved that the newly developed online monitoring system is feasible and sensitive to detect unambiguously interturn faults even down to 0.2% shorted turns along the winding. As such, the proposed approach in this paper enables timely warning of a rising failure and serves a better purpose in assessing the health of a faulty transformer.

This paper studies the effects of static eccentricity on axial flux permanent-magnet machines (AFPMMs) using three-dimensional finite-element analysis (3-D FEA). Use of numerical modeling makes it possible to precisely study the eccentricity in these types of machines. The accuracy of the FEM model is validated using experimental measurement. To the best awareness of the authors, effects of static eccentricity in AFPMMs have not been studied before. Hence, a new definition for the static eccentricity factor (SEF) is presented and it is shown that the occurrence of static eccentricity is very high in these types of machines. A motor with different degrees of rotor eccentricity is simulated and the flux density distribution in the air gap and the total axial force between rotor and stator is obtained. In addition, unbalanced magnetic force (UMF) is calculated and it is mentioned that a steady torque is created by the forces. This study indicates that static eccentricity has noticeable effects on motor characteristics and can deteriorate the motor performances.

Finding efficient and satisfactory energy storage systems (ESSs) is one of the main concerns in the industry. Flywheel energy storage system (FESS) is one of the most satisfactory energy storage which has lots of advantages such as high efficiency, long lifetime, scalability, high power density, fast dynamic, deep charging, and discharging capability. The above features are necessary for electric vehicles (EVs), railways, renewable energy systems, and microgrids. Also, electrical machines, power electronics converters, and control systems are the cores of energy transfer in FESS. Therefore, they have a critical role in determining efficiency, power rating, power factor, cost, angular velocity, and volume of FESS. So, in this study, the FESS configuration, including the flywheel (rotor), electrical machine, power electronics converter, control system, and bearing are reviewed, individually and comprehensively. Additionally, the mentioned components have been categorized to be a guide for future research. The investigated electrical machines are compared by Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Subsequently, our laboratory’s measurement results are reviewed experimentally showing the progress in the field of FESS, such as designing robust control algorithms and an Interior Permanent Magnet-Synchronous Reluctance Machine (IPM-SynRM) to use in FESS.

This paper investigates a novel online method for static eccentricity (SE) fault detection of single-stator-single-rotor axial flux permanent-magnet (AFPM) machines. The method allows for both estimating the SE factor and computing the minimum air-gap position. As direct flux measurements are expensive, the proposed method for fault detection is based on the measurement of the voltages of three search coils uniformly distributed in the air gap. Unlike the current spectrum-based fault detection methods on which the winding configuration has a considerable impact, the proposed method can be used for any type of AFPM machine independently on the winding layout. A simplified 2-D analytical approach is used. Moreover, a circuit-coupled 3-D finite-element method (FEM) was used to compute the induced voltages in the search coils and show the validity of the method through 20 eccentric scenarios. Moreover, an experimental setup was built to validate the analytical approach and to confirm the results achieved with the 3-D FEM. Several experimental measurements have been done. All measurements confirm the accuracy of the proposed method. It is also shown that the method yields accurate results under any load condition.

The design of permanent magnet motors for the battery-powered electric vehicle has different aspects. In this study, the conceptual design process of an electric machine for Sedan Low car is presented. Based on the vehicle requirements an interior permanent magnet motor with a maximum power of 120 kW with different slot/pole combinations is designed. To obtain the best slot/pole combination, The New European Driving Cycle in term of crucial performance characteristics is compared. Given the importance of irreversible demagnetization phenomenon to an electric vehicle application, an accurate approach to determine the irreversible demagnetization rate is first introduced. Design tips are then proposed to reduce the probability of the irreversible demagnetization. Finally, fault-tolerant design in case of irreversible demagnetization withstand capability is carried out using a two-level Taguchi optimization approach. The results obtained from this study indicated that the proposed approach is effective in the fault-tolerant design of the permanent magnet machine for the electric vehicle applications.