Fault Diagnosis of Misaligned Hall-effect Position Sensors in Brushless DC Motor Drives Using a Goertzel Algorithm

In this study, defective Brushless DC (BLDC) motor drives with misplaced Hall-effect position sensors are investigated. Since position sensor misplacement results in increased torque ripple, vibrations, audible noise, and reduced system efficiency, a robust technique for the diagnosis of the defect is required. Considering the commonly used sensors in BLDC motor drives, the DC-link current frequency spectrum is exploited to reveal the position sensor misalignment and the severity of the defect. Thus, frequency-domain analysis and, especially, the increment of the additional harmonic components of the DC-link current is investigated as potential fault signature. Moreover, the second order Goertzel Algorithm is proposed for fast fault identification due to its distinct features compared to the conventional signal processing techniques. Therefore, different scenarios are investigated to identify the effectiveness of both the selected harmonic components and the diagnostic method in highlighting the defect and its severity.