Brushless DC Motor Working Principle and Applications

Brushless DC Motor Working Principle and Applications
What is Brushless DC motor?

Brushless DC electric motors also known as electronically commutated motors (ECMs, EC
motors).
Primary efficiency is a most importent feature for BLDC motors. Because the rotor is the sole
bearer of the magnets and it doesn't require any power. i.e. no connections, no commutator and
no brushes. In place of these, the motor employs control circuitry. To detect where the rotor is at
certain times, BLDC motors employ along with controllers, rotary encoders or a Hall sensor.
Construction of Brushless DC motor

In this motor, the permanent magnets attach to the rotor. The current-carrying conductors or
armature windings are located on the stator. They use electrical commutation to convert
electrical energy into mechanical energy.
The main design difference between a brushed and brushless motors is the replacement of
mechanical commutator with an electric switch circuit. A BLDC Motor is a type of synchronous
motor in the sense that the magnetic field generated by the stator and the rotor revolve at the
same frequency.
Brushless motor does not have any current carrying commutators. The field inside a brushless
motor is switched through an amplifier which is triggered by the commutating device like an
optical encoder.
The layout of a DC brushless motor can vary depending on whether it is in “Out runner” style or
“Inrunner” style.
Outrunner – The field magnet is a drum rotor which rotates around the stator. This style is
preferred for applications that require high torque and where high rpm isn’t a requirement.
In runner – The stator is a fixed drum in which the field magnet rotates. This motor is known for
producing less torque than the out runner style, but is capable of spinning at very high rpm.
Working Principle of Brushless DC motor
BLDC motor works on the principle similar to that of a Brushed DC motor. The Lorentz force law
which states that whenever a current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field it
experiences a force. As a consequence of reaction force, the magnet will experience an equal and
opposite force. In the BLDC motor, the current carrying conductor is stationary and the
permanent magnet is moving.
When the stator coils get a supply from source, it becomes electromagnet and starts producing
the uniform field in the air gap. Though the source of supply is DC, switching makes to generate an
AC voltage waveform with trapezoidal shape. Due to the force of interaction between
electromagnet stator and permanent magnet rotor, the rotor continues to rotate.
With the switching of windings as High and Low signals, corresponding winding energized as North
and South poles. The permanent magnet rotor with North and South poles align with stator poles
which causes the motor to rotate.
Advantages of Brushless DC motor
 Less overall maintenance due to absence of brushes
 Reduced size with far superior thermal characteristics
 Higher speed range and lower electric noise generation.
 It has no mechanical commutator and associated problems
 High efficiency and high output power to size ratio due to the use of permanent magnet
rotor
 High speed of operation even in loaded and unloaded conditions due to the absence of
brushes that limits the speed
 Smaller motor geometry and lighter in weight than both brushed type DC and induction AC
motors.
 Long life as no inspection and maintenance is required for commutator system
 Higher dynamic response due to low inertia and carrying windings in the stator
 Less electromagnetic interference
 Low noise due to absence of brushes

Limitations of Brushless DC motor
 These motors are costly
 Electronic controller required control this motor is expensive
 Requires complex drive circuitry
 Need of additional sensors
Applications of Brushless DC motor

Brushless DC motors (BLDC) use for a wide variety of application requirements such as varying
loads, constant loads and positioning applications in the fields of industrial control, automotive,
aviation, automation systems, health care equipments etc.
• Computer hard drives and DVD/CD players
• Electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and electric bicycles
• Industrial robots, CNC machine tools, and simple belt driven systems
• Washing machines, compressors and dryers
• Fans, pumps and blowers.

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Brushless DC Motor Working Principle and Applications

What is Brushless DC motor?

Construction of Brushless DC motor

Advantages of Brushless DC motor

 Less overall maintenance due to absence of brushes

 Reduced size with far superior thermal characteristics

 Higher speed range and lower electric noise generation.

 It has no mechanical commutator and associated problems

 Long life as no inspection and maintenance is required for commutator system

 Less electromagnetic interference

 Low noise due to absence of brushes

 These motors are costly

 Electronic controller required control this motor is expensive

 Requires complex drive circuitry

 Need of additional sensors

Applications of Brushless DC motor

• Computer hard drives and DVD/CD players

• Electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and electric bicycles

• Washing machines, compressors and dryers

• Fans, pumps and blowers.

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