EMPATH
Challenge
Electric motors and mechanical systems are subject to deterioration and damage that can suspend operations, leading to expensive repair and downtime.
Solution
Framatome offers the Electric Motor Performance Analysis & Trending Hardware (EMPATHTM) system to conveniently measure and analyze electric motor current and voltage to obtain information on critical processes and equipment. EMPATH helps owners detect potential motor problems early, enabling timely repairs and avoiding serious damage.
The key to EMPATH’s successful track record is its utilization of Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) technology.
The Theory of MCSA
When an electric motor drives a mechanical system, it experiences variations in load caused by gears, pulleys, friction, bearings, and other conditions that may change over the life of the motor. The variations in load caused by each of these factors in turn cause a variation in the current supplied to the motor. These variations modulate the carrier frequency.
EMPATH utilizes a unique process to demodulate the signal from the carrier and present an unambiguous spectral display. Using normal and demodulated data permits analysis of not only the motor but also the load and the supplied power.
The EMPATH System
The EMPATH system consists of a laptop computer with our exclusive signal conditioning board. Analysis software stores data and gives a readout of the time and frequency signatures. The signal conditioning board collects data on all three phases of voltage & current and provides MCSA-filtered signals. Also, two general-purpose input channels give the customer the option of collecting additional data simultaneously (such as vibrations, temperature, pressure, etc.).
Customer Benefits
- EMPATH hardware is CE qualified.
- EMPATH provides unique algorithms that can reliably detect the early stages of rotor bar failures in induction motors.
- EMPATH saves time and precludes plant walkdowns by monitoring plant motors and driven machinery from a central motor control center.
- Auxiliary channels allow acquisition and analysis of data from a variety of other sources such as accelerometers (vibration data collection), proximity probes, or process measurements. This information, properly analyzed, can greatly enhance a predictive maintenance program.
- The EMPATH System permits data acquisition and analysis of not only AC induction motors but also DC motors, synchronous motors, generators, and transformers. Efficient energy utilization is also indicated by the EMPATH analysis routines.