Understanding Stator Current and Frame Vibrations for Electrical Machine Maintenance: An Educational Approach Using FEA-Assisted Test Bench

Rotating electrical machine maintenance is present in engineering education curricula in many institutions around the globe. Vibration monitoring represents a widespread methodology for electrical rotating machinery monitoring. However, the multi-physical nature of vibration monitoring presents a complex learning scenario, encompassing concepts from both mechanical and electrical engineering domains. This article introduces a practical learning methodology aimed at comprehensively addressing the electromechanical link between stator current and frame vibration. To this aim, a virtual Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model is utilized to link phase current signals with airgap radial forces acting in the stator. The spectrum of the radial force in the frequency domain is correlated with the measured radial frame vibration in the real machine specimen. In this way, the electromechanical link of electrical machine vibration monitoring is elucidated in a practical manner.