Bearing Currents
Electric Motors Operating on Line Voltage
Electric induction motors are designed for operation on 3 phase sine wave power - either 50 or 60
Hz.
The input power is balanced in frequency, phase (120 degree phase shift) and in amplitude.
Common mode voltage - the sum of the 3 phases always equals zero volts when properly balanced
NOTE: Bearing protection generally not needed except for large frame motors.
Electric Motors Operated by Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
When operated by VFD, the power to the motor is a series of positive and negative pulses instead of
a smooth sine wave.
The input voltage is never blanced because the voltage is either 0 volts, positive, or negative with
rapid switching between pulses in all three phases.
The common mode voltage is usually a "square wave" or "6 step" voltage wave form
There are two primary sources of bearing currents in VFD driven AC
motors:
Capacitive EDM Current: Discharge of shaft voltage capacitively produced by the pulse width
switching waveform of the VFD's voltage output. The output voltage is coupled to the shaft by parasitic
capacitance, and the shaft voltage can discharge through the motor bearings or those of attached
equipment, causing electrical discharge machining (EDM).
Any VFD-fed motor, from fractional HP to thousands of HP, may have bearing currents from this
source.
Voltages can discharge through the motor bearings resulting in EDM pitting and eventual failure.
Best Practice: Ground the motor shaft with the AEGIS® Shaft Grounding Ring to provide a path of
least resistance to ground, and divert discharge current away from the motor's bearing.
Ref: NEMA MG1 Part 31.4.4.3
An Electric Motor works like a Capacitor
The pulses to the motor from the VFD create a rapidly changing common mode voltage at the motor
terminals. This rapidly changing common mode voltage creates a capacitively coupled voltage on
the motor shaft.
Shaft voltages are measurable with an AEGIS® Shaft Voltage Tester™ or other digital oscilloscope
equipped with an AEGIS® Shaft Voltage Probe Tip.
Discharge of these shaft voltages is called Capacitive EDM Current.
Voltage Arcs through the Bearing:
Discharge currents arc through the bearing, and EDM creates thousands of pits in the bearing race
Bearings are roughened, resulting in increased friction and noise
Eventually, the rolling elements can cause fluting damage to the bearing races
Bearing lubrication deteriorates, loses its viscosity, and the bearing fails
Potential for costly unplanned downtime
High Frequency Circulating Currents
High frequency circulating currents may be induced by magnetic flux imbalance, from the stator
windings, around the motor shaft. These currents circulate along the shaft, through the bearing, then
along the frame to the other bearing, and back to the shaft.
o Occur in AC motors above 100HP (75 kW) and DC motors over
10HP (7.5 kW)
o High frequency circulating currents are always accompanied by capacitive EDM current
Best Practice: High frequency circulating currents should be interrupted by insulating one bearing
(usually the non-drive end). Since these currents are always accompanied by capacitive EDM
currents, an AEGIS® Shaft Grounding Ring should be installed at the other end (usually drive end) to
prevent EDM from capacitive currents.
50/60 Circulating Currents from Line Voltage in Motors over 500 Frame:
Sinusoidal voltage sources can cause low frequency circulating currents in large machines due to
motors' not-perfectly-symmetical design. 50/60Hz operation can result in circulating currents due to
motor magnetic asymmetries.
Usually present in very large machines only
Circulate through the motor bearings, shaft to frame
Best Practice: Interrupting the circulating current is the best approach to mitigating potential bearing
damage.
Ref: NEMA MG1 Part 31.4.4.3
AC Induction Motors
VFD OPERATION NO VFD -
50/60/ Hz line operation
Motors up to and Motors over 100hp to 500 Motors over 500hp Motors over 500 Frame
including 100hp hp (Medium Voltage- over 600 (Medium Voltage)
(Low Voltage) (Low Voltage - up to 600 VAC)
volts AC)
Capacitive EDM Capacitive EDM Current Capacitive EDM Current 50/60 Hz Circulating Current
Current High Frequency Circulating High Frequency Circulating
Current Current
Low Frequency Circulating
Current
AEGIS® SGR AEGIS® SGR AEGIS® PRO AEGIS® PRO
(may not be needed)
Install Install AEGIS® SGR Install AEGIS® PRO Ring Install AEGIS® PRO Ring
AEGIS® SGR on opposite side of bearing opposite side of bearing opposite side of bearing
DE or NDE insulation; usually DE insulation; usually DE insulation: usually DE
n/a Isolate one bearing, usually Isolate one bearing, usually Isolate one bearing, usually
the NDE to break the the NDE to break the the NDE to break the
circulating current path. circulating current path. circulating current path
