The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique is considered to be one of the most promising methods for developing structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. This technique is simple to implement and uses small and inexpensive piezoelectric sensors. However, practical problems have hindered its application to real-world structures, and temperature effects have been cited in the literature as critical problems. In this paper, we present an experimental study of the effect of temperature on the electrical impedance of the piezoelectric sensors used in the EMI technique. We used 5H PZT (lead zirconate titanate) ceramic sensors, which are commonly used in the EMI technique. The experimental results showed that the temperature effects were strongly frequency-dependent, which may motivate future research in the SHM field.

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Power transformers are crucial in an electric power system. Failures in transformers can affect the quality and cause interruptions in the power supply. Partial discharges are a phenomenon that can cause failures in the transformers if not properly monitored. Typically, the monitoring requires high-cost corrective maintenance or even interruptions of the power system. Therefore, the development of online non-invasive monitoring systems to detect partial discharges in power transformers has great relevance since it can reduce significant maintenance costs. Although commercial acoustic emission sensors have been used to monitor partial discharges in power transformers, they still represent a significant cost. In order to overcome this drawback, this paper presents a study of the feasibility of low-cost piezoelectric sensors to identify partial discharges in mineral insulating oil of power transformers. The analysis of the feasibility of the proposed low-cost sensor is performed by its comparison with a commercial acoustic emission sensor commonly used to detect partial discharges. The comparison between the responses in the time and frequency domain of both sensors was carried out and the experimental results indicate that the proposed piezoelectric sensors have great potential in the detection of acoustic waves generated by partial discharges in insulation oil, contributing for the popularization of this noninvasive technique.

Grinding is considered one of the last processes in precision parts manufacturing, which makes it indispensable to have a reliable monitoring system to evaluate workpiece surface integrity. This paper proposes the use of the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method to monitor the surface grinding operation in real time, particularly the surface integrity of the ground workpiece. The EMI method stands out for its simplicity and for using low-cost components such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate) piezoelectric transducers. In order to assess the feasibility of applying the EMI method to the grinding process, experimental tests were performed on a surface grinder using a CBN grinding wheel and a SAE 1020 steel workpiece, with PZT transducers mounted on the workpiece and its holder. During the grinding process, the electrical impedance of the transducers was measured and damage indices conventionally used in the EMI method were calculated and compared with workpiece wear, indicating the surface condition of the workpiece. The experimental results indicate that the EMI method can be an efficient and cost-effective alternative for monitoring precision workpieces during the surface grinding process.

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