Optimal MLP neural network classifier for fault detection of three phase induction motor

Induction motors are critical components in commercially available equipments and industrial processes due to cost effective and robust performance. Under various operating stresses, motors deteriorate their conditions which result into various faults. Early detection and diagnosis of these faults are desirable for online condition assessment, product quality assurance and improved operational efficiency. From the related work reported so far it is observed that researchers used vibration analysis, harmonics present in stator current, chemical analysis, electromagnetic analysis, etc. As these approaches are complex in view of the requirement of precise measurement and mathematical modeling. As compared to analytical methods, AI based schemes are more efficient and accurate. In this paper optimal MLP NN based classifier is proposed for fault detection which is inexpensive, reliable, and noninvasive by employing more readily available information such as stator current. Detailed design procedure for MLP and SOM NN models is given for which simple statistical parameters are used as input feature space and Principal Component Analysis is used for reduction of input dimensionality. Robustness of classifier to noise is verified on unseen data by introducing controlled Gaussian and Uniform noise in input and output.