Abstract: In modern rail transportation, inverter drive systems have been extensively used due to their excellent speed control capabilities. However, in recent years, premature failure problems caused by bearing voltage and current phenomena have been frequently reported in electric motors, with electrical bearing failures making up a considerable percentage. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of facets relating to the electrical erosion of bearings in an electrical environment represented by railway vehicles. First, the origins of the phenomenon as well as typical bearing electrical failure modes are discussed. Next, we introduce the distinctive features of the electrical environment of railway traction motor bearings, including output voltages with high common-mode components and systems with complex grounding configurations. Then, we classify the fundamental mechanisms for generating bearing voltages/currents into four groups, and present their modeling processes, including equivalent circuit establishment and parameter determination methods. Furthermore, we summarize the strategies frequently used to protect bearings, and describe a typical solution to suppress electrical bearing failures in railway vehicles. Finally, we present a case example to illustrate a research procedure for systematic investigation of inverter-induced bearing currents in rail transportation.

Key words: Rail transportation; Bearing current; Common-mode voltage; Bearing electrical erosion; Grounding configuration

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