Stator inter-turn short-circuit detection in doubly-fed induction generators using rotor current analysis

Early detection of inter-turn short-circuit faults in the stator windings of Doubly-Fed Induction Generators (DFIGs) is essential to ensure proper maintenance planning and avoid critical failures. This paper presents a technique to detect and quantify this type of fault to assess its severity. The proposed approach consists of analyzing the rotor currents of DFIGs in Park reference frame. A theoretical study is carried out, accompanied by experimental validation using a test bench and a data acquisition (DAQ) system. This study reveals a new fault indicator based on analysis of geometric shape of rotor currents. Quantifying the evolution of this indicator enables the estimation of defect severity with a relative error of 2%. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of it facilitates the maintenance supervisor’s decision-making process. The results demonstrate the potential of this approach, which is characterized by its simplicity, reliability and effectiveness.