DC Motors

A motor is a type of electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. These motor can either run on AC electrical energy or DC electrical energy. Therefore, the motors are classified into two main types; AC motor & DC motor.Both types of motor generate mechanical energy used for moving any mechanical load etc. but their construction, control, efficiency & applications are quite different. You may know more about the basic information about AC and DC Current and Voltage in the previous post. What are AC Motors? AC Motors are electromechanical devices that convert electrical power in the form of alternating voltage and current into mechanical energy. AC Motors come in different varieties which can be characterized as being either Induction Motors (which are asynchronous) or Synchronous Motors, and which contain a stator and rotor. Induction motors can be either Single Phase or Polyphase, while synchronous motors include Reluctance Motors and Hysteresis Motors. See our related guide, Types of AC Motors, to learn more about each of these. What are DC Motors? DC Motors can convert the electrical energy that is supplied to it in the form of direct current into mechanical rotational energy. The same device can be used in reverse to produce DC electrical power from the rotation of the motor shaft. When used in that manner, the device is functioning as a generator. There are several key types of DC motors available. These include Permanent magnet DC Motors, Series Wound DC Motors, Shunt DC Motors, Compound DC Motors, and Brushless DC Motors. Our related guide, Types of DC Motors, contains more information about each of these types. AC motors are used for their best output power performance, their reliability & the requirement of less maintenance. While the DC motor used because of their easier speed control & direction. But their frequent maintenance is very costly. Overall, using a VFD with an AC motor can provide a less expensive solution to the problemIf we talk about the major difference between DC and AC motor is the commutator and one can easily differentiates and identify either is it an AC motor or DC motor. In short, if there is a commutator in a motor, It is a DC motor, otherwise, it is an AC motor.