Impedance-Based Condition Monitoring for Insulation Systems Used in Low-Voltage Electromagnetic Coils

Abstract

Electromagnetic induction coils are widely used in a variety of applications, many of them safety-critical. The insulation around the wire in an electromagnetic coil accounts for a significant portion of the failures in solenoid-operated valves and in electric motors. This paper presents a method of detecting the degradation of insulation used in low-voltage applications by assessing changes in impedance responses. The results indicate that coil impedance, resolved into resistance and reactance, evolves differently when the coil is subjected to different loading conditions, which reflects insulation degradation signatures due to different failure mechanisms. This method can be used to assess the insulation life of an electromagnetic coil, allowing replacement prior to the formation of harmful shorts or critical coil opens.