What is a Brushless DC motor (BLDC)?
A brushless DC motor (known as BLDC) is a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor which is driven by direct current (DC) electricity and it accomplishes electronically controlled commutation system (commutation is the process of producing rotational torque in the motor by changing phase currents through it at appropriate times) instead of a mechanically commutation system. BLDC motors are also referred as trapezoidal permanent magnet motors.
Construction Of A BLDC Motor
A commutator-brushes arrangement helps in achieving unidirectional torque in a typical dc motor. Obviously, commutator and brush arrangement is eliminated in a brushless dc motor. Here, an integrated inverter/switching circuit is used to achieve unidirectional torque. That is why these motors are, sometimes, also referred as ‘electronically commutated motors’.
Just like any other electric motor, a BLDC motor also consists of two main parts a stator and a rotor. Permanent magnets are mounted on the rotor of a BLDC motor, and the stator is wound for a specific number of poles. Also, a control circuit is connected to the stator winding. Most of the times, the inverter/control circuit or controller is integrated into the stator assembly. This is the basic constructional difference between a brushless motor and a typical dc motor.
A typical controller provides a three-phase frequency-controlled supply to the stator winding. The supply is controlled by logical control circuits and energizes specific stator poles at a specific point of time. This can be understood from the below animations about working of BLDC motors.
Types Of BLDC Motors
There are two types of BLDC motors based on their construction/design:
(i) inner rotor design
(ii) outer rotor design
Regardless of these types, note that the permanent magnets are always mounted on the rotor and winding on the stator.
- Inner rotor design (inrunner): this is a conventional design, where the rotor is located at the core (center) and stator winding surrounds it.
Inner-rotor BLDC motor (Credit: Kaspars Dambis – flickr) - Outer rotor design (outrunner): In this configuration, the rotor is external. i.e. stator windings are located at the core while the rotor, carrying permanent magnets, surrounds the stator.
Outer rotor BLDC motor
How Does A BLDC Motor Work?
Stator windings of a BLDC motor are connected to a control circuit (an integrated switching circuit or inverter circuit). The control circuit energizes proper winding at the proper time, in a pattern which rotates around the stator. Permanent magnets on the rotor try to align with the energized electromagnets of the stator, and as soon as it aligns, the next electromagnets are energized. Thus, the rotor keeps running. The animations below will give you a clear idea of ‘how a brushless DC motor works?’
Brushless Vs. Brushed DC Motor
- Brushes require frequent replacement due to mechanical wear, hence, a brushed DC motor requires periodic maintenance. Also, as brushes transfer current to the commutator, sparking occurs. Brushes limit the maximum speed and the number of poles the armature can have. These all drawbacks are removed in a brushless DC motor. An electronic control circuit is required in a brushless DC motor for switching stator magnets to keep the motor running. This makes a BLDC motor potentially less rugged.
- Advantages of BLDC motor over brushed motors are increased efficiency, reliability, longer lifetime, no sparking and less noise, more torque per weight, etc.
Applications of Brushless DC Motors (BLDC)
- 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
Advantages of BLDC Motor
- It has no mechanical commutator and associated problems
- High efficiency 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
- Quite operation (or low noise) due to absence of brushes
Disadvantages of Brushless Motor
- These motors are costly
- Electronic controller required control this motor is expensive
- Not much availability of many integrated electronic control solutions, especially for tiny BLDC motors
- Requires complex drive circuitry
- Need of additional sensors
