Applications of Electric Motors
Uses & Applications of Electric Motors
An electrical motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. They are the most important tool in modern-day life. it helps in reducing the effort and extending the ability to perform the task using normal capabilities. The motors efficiently reduce labor and provide comfort, convenience and safety by working day and night without any delay. The motors use more than half of the energy produced in the US per day. Some of the major applications of electric motors in the modern technology era are as follows.
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Common Applications of Electric Motors
Following are the various uses and applications of AC Motors, DC Motors and Special Motors in residential & domestics as well as commercial & industrial purposes.
HVAC
HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. It is the technology for providing thermal comfort in any indoor environment such as in an office, home, or vehicle, etc.
HVAC works by providing fresh air from the outdoors. The outdoor air is air-conditioned in order to cool or heat the different areas of a building or vehicle. The conditioned air is blown into the ducts using a blower motor.
Industrial Automation
Using motors we can eliminate the use of labor or human beings. We can perform the heavy tasks with high speed and without any interruption. There is no need for involving any labor. Most of the industries run on automated machinery to work non-stop. They are also required to meet the demands of the modern world.
They are extremely efficient and having automatic control offers high production value. In short, Industrial automation is nothing without electric motors.
Benefit in Climate Change
The electrical motor does not need fuel or any other maintenance required for any engine. The use of electrical motors inside vehicles and trains allows us to use green energy or reusable energy and reduce the emission of dangerous gasses that affects public health and the ecosystem.
Related Article: Types of Electric Motors – Classification of AC, DC & Special Motors
Agriculture
Different types of electric motors are used in agriculture to eliminate human involvement and increase productivity. They are used in every mechanical structure used in farming and agriculture.
Different kinds of machines are used nowadays to cultivate, plough soil, planting, irrigation, applying fertilizers and harvesting etc.
They are also used for cutting and packing these vegetables and fruits to meet the high demands of the market.
Compressor
An Air compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of the gas by reducing its volume. An electric motor is used to pump the gas inside increasing its pressure which is then released through an outlet to do work.
Compressors are used for cleaning by releasing compressed air. It is also used for filling gas cylinders and tires. The pressurized gas can be used for cleaning objects at the micro level. It is also used in nail guns.
The painting also requires pressurized air so that the paint can firmly stick to the surface. Therefore, an air compressor is also used for painting.
The dairy farms that have hundreds of cows, goats and sheep require hundreds of labor as it is such a labor-intensive job. Air compressors can be modified to create vacuum suction in the milking machine which draws milk from the cow. It increases productivity by allowing workers to work using less labor.
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Blower
A blower is an equipment that increases the speed of the air or gas. It is powered by an electrical motor that pulls in the air from one side and pushes it with high speed on the other side. It is used in the exhaust system or ventilation, dust cleaning or vacuum cleaning.
Fans
Fans powered by electric motors are used for circulating air inside a room. It is also used for drying things or people. It is also used for exhausting dangerous fumes or cooling electronic components. Also, a fan plays a major role in HVAC.
Refrigeration & Air-conditioning
Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration means cooling of space. It basically works by compressing the refrigerant using a compressor that is powered by an electric motor. it is used for preserving food by maintaining the temperature below normal. It is also used to make ice from water.
Pump
A pump is used for the flow of fluid. it does not generate pressure. A pump pushes out the air creating a vacuum which is then filled up by the fluid. They are powered by electric motors which increase efficiency and save time.
Pumps are mostly used for pulling water (well pumps & submersible motors) to the surface but they are also used in industries especially in oil and gas. They are used in chemical processing industries where more smart electric pumps are used.
Crusher
Crusher is a machine that is used to reduce large rocks into small rocks, sand or gravel. An electric motor is used to generate crushing power by splitting the rocks into smaller chunks.
Crusher is mostly used for providing material for construction purposes and in mining operations. It also provides powdered material for further processing.
Lathe Machine
A lathe is a machine that is used in the metalworking industry. It rotates a workpiece about its axis of rotation. It is used for cutting, sanding, drilling and shaping any workpiece into your desired shape. It is used for designing components that are symmetrical about an axis.
Drill
A drilling machine is a power tool used for making holes. It utilizes an electric motor that is either powered by a battery or using the mains. Different types and power of drills are used for drilling holes such as in plastic, wood, metal and concrete, etc.
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Power Tools
Power tools are portable hand equipment that is powered by a battery attached to them. They are designed for a variety of applications. Such as grinders, drills, sanders, etc. They save time and reduce effort. Most of the power tools used electric motors.
Rolling Mill
Rolling mills are heavy tools that have steel rollers. Electric machines are used to rotate these rollers. It is used for changing the shape or thickness of any metal or a sheet of metal. It is also used to increase the hardness of the material.
Paper Mill
Papermill makes paper, paperboards and other fiberboard using various kinds of machinery. There are rolling machines cutting and pressing machines powered by electrical motors.
Conveyor
A conveyor is a mechanical system of rollers or belts that is used to transport or move product or material with minimal effort. It eliminates the use of labor and also used for feeding material from one machine into another. A conveyor system also increases the productivity of the industry.
Washing Machine
As the name implies, it is used for washing clothes. There is an electrical machine that rotates the clothing inside the machine. It effortlessly cleans the clothes without using your hands.
Drying Machine
The drying machine quickly dries your clothes by rotating it with such speed so that the water droplets push out of the clothes. It helps to dry the clothes quicker than usual.
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Elevator
An elevator or lift is a machine that carries passengers between floors of a multi-floor building. The elevator has a powerful motor that rotates the shaft pulling the cables connected with the elevator.
It helps in carrying disable people, patients or reduces the efforts of walking through multiple stairs.
Escalator
An escalator is a staircase that moves upwards and downwards carrying people between floors. An electric motor drives a chain of stairs that circulates.
Computer Disk Drives
The disk drives in a computer such as CD-ROM or the hard disk have a spindle that rotates at very high speed with proper control. BLDC motors are used for such applications that offer high speed with control and a long lifespan. Also, they are less noisy.
Printer and Photocopiers
Printers or photocopier machines are used for printing documents. They are widely used in offices. They have multiple electric motors that work in sync to print a single document. BLDC motor is mostly used in these machines
Positioning
Servo motor and stepper motor are two different types of electric motor that are used for precise positioning in control systems. It is mostly used in the robotics and packaging industry.
Heavy Equipment
Heavy equipment or machinery refers to the heavy-duty vehicles used for construction such as excavator, bulldozer, grader and compactor, etc. They utilize a hydraulic motor to move gears, piston offering low speed and high torque.
Hoist
A hoist is a device used for lifting or lowering or carrying heavy objects with ease using a chain or wire rope. It is powered by an electrical motor which is used for pulling or letting the wire rope surrounding its shaft (connected with drum).
It is a pulley system used for manually lifting a very heavy object with ease.
Winches
A winch is used for pulling or letting go or adjusting the tension along a heavy wire rope or cable. It has a spool connected with the shaft of a motor to easily pull heavy wires. They were mostly used in ships for pulling the anchor and they are used for pulling heavy objects horizontally.
Robots
A robot is a machine capable of performing any task. It may or may not be designed in the shape of a human. The movement of any part of the robot is achieved by using motors. Multiple motors work in a series to perform a complex task.
A universal motor (runs on both AC and DC) is used in appliances such as blenders, vacuum cleaners, and hair dryers. They are also used in power tools such as drills-sanders and grinders etc. where high speed and lightweight are desirable.
An electrical motor has so many uses that it is very difficult to name each and every one of them. Simply put, everything that is powered by electricity and moves has an electrical motor inside it. In simple words, an electric motor is the backbone of running industries and economies due to the vast applications of electric motors involved in it.
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