Testing and evaluation of standards for reliability, performance and safety improvement of induction motors.
Khumalo, Nkosinathi
Khumalo, Nkosinathi
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Abstract
Induction motors are regarded as the pillar of industrialisation, converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. In South Africa, it is not compulsory to test and evaluate induction motors using SANS 1804 or IEC 60034 series before being given authority to sell to end-users. While equipment such as hot water storage tanks, geysers, electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools, lawn and garden machinery, etc. are tested and evaluated at accredited laboratories, the manufacturer will then use the pass test report from the laboratory to apply for authority to sell (letter of authority) at NRCS. A letter of authority is valid for a certain duration, depending on the type of equipment. In South Africa, there have also been complaints about fires and explosions causing number of deaths and damage due to induction motors that are not well tested or are wrongly marked in terms of ratings, electrical safety and performance. A motor that is not correctly marked at the initial stage may suffer severe damage during operation, thus leading to downtime in factories, mines and a host of other industries where these machines are utilised. The aim of the study is to test and evaluate induction motors based on testing standards (SANS 1804 and/or IEC 60034 series) in order to determine their compliance to the nameplate parameters and check whether there is need to de-rate the motors and renamed to match with correct nameplate ratings. The induction motors that are tested and evaluated in the study which are from a variety of manufacturers are evaluated over three years (2019, 2020, and 2021). The study is based on experimental procedures and is conducted at the Explosion Prevention Technology and Rotating Machines (EPT and RM) laboratory, South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), South Africa. Upon completion of the testing, evaluation, and analysis, it is found that most induction motors which are sold in South Africa do not match the manufacturers nameplate ratings and this could be potentially hazardous and costly for customers in various industrial applications who depend on the nameplate ratings for specific operational needs. It is therefore recommended that a regulation to enforce that induction motors sold in South Africa need to be re-tested to ensure they match with nameplate specifications in order to reduce operational downtime and occupational hazards.
Description
Submitted in Partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree, Master of Engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at the Tshwane University of Technology.
Date
2023-08-01
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Tshwane University of Technology
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Keywords
Induction motors, Electrical energy, Nameplate