by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Jun 13, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
From previous articles in this series on large-electric-motor studies conducted by EPRI and IEEE, we’ve noted the fact that there were potential issues with the findings, including in the area of industry best practices related to component replacement through repair....
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | May 29, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
In this installment of an ongoing series, we’ll discuss what was learned during a five-year period at a site containing 46 4160V through 13,800Volt electric motors, and compare these findings to data from large-motor studies conducted by EPRI (Electric Power...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | May 16, 2020 | Asset Management, Electrical Reliability
A recently published 2-year study of wind-generator and powertrain failures was initiated when types of detected faults in such equipment didn’t match expected statistics or findings from a previous repair-facility study, as shown in Fig. 1. That first...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | May 2, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
This article is the latest installment of a multi-part discussion on research conducted by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). As we dig deeper into those studies, some intriguing patterns begin to...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 18, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
This article continues a multi-part discussion on research conducted by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). As noted in the two previous installments of this series (see links at the end of this...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 12, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
What did the 1983 EPRI study and subsequent IEEE studies of large electric motors really say? With the EPRI study primarily identified as one on motor failures, the focus of this article is related to how the reported findings iof that research compare to those of the...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 4, 2020 | Plant Operations, Workforce Issues
In football, a team’s quarterback and backfield typically receive the most attention. They handle the ball and get it where it’s going or intercept it. Little attention is given to the linemen who have one square yard of responsibility. And, in most cases, how...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 28, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
The graph in Fig. 1 below is often quoted as showing the average failure rates in a population of electric motors throughout industry, and cited as the results of a 1983 Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) study. This General Electric study of large power-plant...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 14, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Maintenance Management, Motors & Drives
In ball-bearing machines, the bearings are often cited as the primary cause of electric-motor failure. There are numerous lubrication and application issues that impact bearing life, as well as basically cause reduced life. While we will continue to return to the...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 7, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Maintenance Management, Motors & Drives
In this first part of a new series on electric motor systems, we’ll review the reliability of such systems. Let’s start by considering one the most-asked questions associated with the topic: “How long should the motor last?” While there are standards that...
