Protect electric motors from bearing currents
Kuva
CONTEXT AND PROJECT BACKGROUND
PROTOR is a research-to-business (R2B) project funded by Business Finland and executed in conjunction by LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences. The PROTOR project is born after many years of research at LUT University on electrical motors and more specifically how to protect electrical motors from failure caused by bearing currents.
The aim of this research-to-business project is to create a commercialization strategy to bring this new bearing current solution to the market. Throughout the project, LAB will evaluate potential market segments and explore different commercialization opportunities while LUT carries out the technical development of the solution and validates the concept.
PROBLEM
With the increasing awareness on climate change, there is a clear need for sustainable and efficient industrial processes, electrical motors and drive systems have become the most common setup in most fields due to energy savings. Electric motors have a crucial role not only in industrial processes but in our everyday life as well. Today, the number of electrical machines operating worldwide is more than 300 million and continues to increase by almost 10% annually.
Unfortunately, the bearing currents phenomenon is an important problem in the field to which there currently is no standard solution. Bearing currents reduce motor life span and when not treated, eventually lead to machine failure. Motor failure halts normal operating and production processes which lead to lost profits and extra costs in repairs or replacement. Out of all motor faults, bearing faults take up anywhere from 50% to 90% causing unplanned motor downtime that results in financial losses of up to 30 MEUR per year globally.
SOLUTION
PROTOR is an intelligent solution for bearing current protection that can be used on virtually any electrical motor. Our packaged solution is composed of both software and hardware that will identify, address, and prevent any bearing current problems quickly and effectively.
By redirecting the electrical discharge (commonly known as a common-mode voltage) created by high-frequency harmonics through our special wedges, PROTOR protects any motor from bearing currents.
UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
- Predicts, prevents, and maintains your motor free of bearing currents
- Reliable, easy to install and to use
- Applicable to any motor – old and new
COMPETITION
Currently, there is no established standard solution for solving bearing currents. However, due to the gravity of problems bearing currents present, several big industry players have come up with different ways to try to mitigate bearing currents. There are different technologies developed to combat bearing currents which we will categorize in a) shaft grounding brushes, b) shaft grounding rings, c) hybrid bearings. We are working on an industry analysis of the field right now.
TEAM
Konstantin Vostrov – Team leader
Outi-Maaria Palo-oja – Project manager
Anu Kurvinen – Business Champion
Joni Surakka– RDI Specialist
Sofia Ramos – RDI Specialist
PROTOR is a research-to-business (R2B) project funded by Business Finland and executed in conjunction by LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences. The PROTOR project is born after many years of research at LUT University on electrical motors and more specifically how to protect electrical motors from failure caused by bearing currents.
The aim of this research-to-business project is to create a commercialization strategy to bring this new bearing current solution to the market. Throughout the project, LAB will evaluate potential market segments and explore different commercialization opportunities while LUT carries out the technical development of the solution and validates the concept.
PROBLEM
With the increasing awareness on climate change, there is a clear need for sustainable and efficient industrial processes, electrical motors and drive systems have become the most common setup in most fields due to energy savings. Electric motors have a crucial role not only in industrial processes but in our everyday life as well. Today, the number of electrical machines operating worldwide is more than 300 million and continues to increase by almost 10% annually.
Unfortunately, the bearing currents phenomenon is an important problem in the field to which there currently is no standard solution. Bearing currents reduce motor life span and when not treated, eventually lead to machine failure. Motor failure halts normal operating and production processes which lead to lost profits and extra costs in repairs or replacement. Out of all motor faults, bearing faults take up anywhere from 50% to 90% causing unplanned motor downtime that results in financial losses of up to 30 MEUR per year globally.
SOLUTION
PROTOR is an intelligent solution for bearing current protection that can be used on virtually any electrical motor. Our packaged solution is composed of both software and hardware that will identify, address, and prevent any bearing current problems quickly and effectively.
By redirecting the electrical discharge (commonly known as a common-mode voltage) created by high-frequency harmonics through our special wedges, PROTOR protects any motor from bearing currents.
UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
- Predicts, prevents, and maintains your motor free of bearing currents
- Reliable, easy to install and to use
- Applicable to any motor – old and new
COMPETITION
Currently, there is no established standard solution for solving bearing currents. However, due to the gravity of problems bearing currents present, several big industry players have come up with different ways to try to mitigate bearing currents. There are different technologies developed to combat bearing currents which we will categorize in a) shaft grounding brushes, b) shaft grounding rings, c) hybrid bearings. We are working on an industry analysis of the field right now.
TEAM
Konstantin Vostrov – Team leader
Outi-Maaria Palo-oja – Project manager
Anu Kurvinen – Business Champion
Joni Surakka– RDI Specialist
Sofia Ramos – RDI Specialist
Project period
-
Project state
Finished
Project area
National
Project funding
BF R2B
Kuva
LAB role
Partner
Unit
Business and Hospitality Management
Project focus area
Intangible value creation
