AN885
Title:
Brushless DC (BLDC) Motor Fundamentals
Author:
Padmaraja Yedamale
Description:
Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motors are one of the
motor types rapidly gaining popularity. BLDC motors
are used in industries such as Appliances, Automotive,
Aerospace, Consumer, Medical, Industrial Automation
Equipment and Instrumentation.
As the name implies, BLDC motors do not use brushes
for commutation; instead, they are electronically commutated.
BLDC motors have many advantages over
brushed DC motors and induction motors. A few of
these are:
? Better speed versus torque characteristics
? High dynamic response
? High efficiency
? Long operating life
? Noiseless operation
? Higher speed ranges
In addition, the ratio of torque delivered to the size of
the motor is higher, making it useful in applications
where space and weight are critical factors.
In this application note, we will discuss in detail the construction,
working principle, characteristics and typical
applications of BLDC motors. Refer to Appendix B:
?Glossary? for a glossary of terms commonly used
when describing BLDC motors.
Keywords:
Motor Control, BLDC Motor, Brushless DC, Motor, Back EMF, Sensorless, Commutation