ELECTRO-MECHANICAL

SYSTEMS (EEEB413)
Brushless DC Motor

Dr.Mohamed Ansari M.Nainar

Sr.Lecturer, ME
BN-1-026, COE
UNITEN, Malaysia
Tel Ext: 2213
Email: ansari@uniten.edu.my
 Book Reference
Theodore Wildi, Electrical Machines, Drives, and Power Systems, IE,
6th Edition, Prentice Hall
 Pre-requisites
Types of Motors
Brushed

DC Brushless

Split Capacitor
Stepper

Shaded Pole
Universal
Single Phase
Induction
Capacitor Start

AC Synchronous Split Phase

AC machines (generators and motors)

Two major classes:
Poly Phase Synchronous machines
Induction Induction machines
Two major parts of machines
Stator
Rotor 3
 Outline
Introduction to Brushless DC motor
Permanent magnet brushless dc motor
Comparison with DC Motor
Constructional features
Principle of operation
Waveforms
Applications

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 Introduction to Brushless DC (BLDC)
Motor
Brushless DC motors (BLDC motors, BL motors) also known
as electronically commutated motors (ECMs, EC motors) are
synchronous electric motors powered by direct-current (DC)
electricity and having electronic commutation systems, rather
than mechanical commutators and brushes.
The current-to-torque and voltage-to-speed relationships of
BLDC motors are linear.
An electronic controller replaces the brush/commutator
assembly of the brushed DC motor, which continually switches
the phase to the windings to keep the motor running.
The controller performs similar timed power distribution by
using a solid-state circuit rather than the brush/commutator
system. 5
 Background of brushless DC motors
Brushed DC motors have been in commercial use since 1886
BLDC motors, however have only been commercially
possible since 1962.
Limitations of brushed DC motors overcome by BLDC
motors include lower efficiency and susceptibility of the
commutator assembly to mechanical wear and consequent
need for servicing, at the cost of potentially less rugged and
more complex and expensive control electronics.
A BLDC motor has permanent magnets which rotate and a
fixed armature, eliminating the problems of connecting
current to the moving armature.

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 Brushless versus brushed DC motors
The interface circuitry between a digital controller and motor.

The circuit compensates for the induction of the windings,

regulates power and monitors temperature.

BLDC motors offer several advantages over brushed DC

motors, including more torque per weight and efficiency[],
reliability, reduced noise, longer lifetime (no brush and
commutator erosion), elimination of ionizing sparks from the
commutator, more power, and overall reduction of
electromagnetic interference (EMI).

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 Brushless versus brushed DC motors
With no windings on the rotor, they are not subjected to
centrifugal forces, and because the windings are supported by
the housing, they can be cooled by conduction, requiring no
airflow inside the motor for cooling.

This in turn means that the motor's internals can be entirely

enclosed and protected from dirt or other foreign matter.

Brushed DC motors can be regulated by a comparatively

simple controller, such as a rheostat (variable resistor).
However, this reduces efficiency because power is wasted in
the rheostat. Second, some practical uses have not been well
developed in the commercial sector.
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 Brushless versus brushed DC motors
For example, in the Radio Control (RC), even commercial
brushless motors are often hand-wound while brushed motors
use armature coils which can be inexpensively machine-
wound.

BLDC motors are often more efficient at converting electricity

into mechanical power than brushed DC motors.

This improvement is largely due to the absence of electrical

and friction losses due to brushes.

The enhanced efficiency is greatest in the no-load and low-

load region of the motor's performance curve. 9
 Brushless versus brushed DC motors
Under high mechanical loads, BLDC motors and high-quality
brushed motors are comparable in efficiency.

AC induction motors require induction of magnetic field in the

rotor by the rotating field of the stator; this results in the
magnetic and electric fields being out of phase. The phase
difference requires greater current and current losses to achieve
power.

ECMs are microprocessor-controlled to keep the stator current

in phase with the permanent magnets of the rotor, requiring less
current for the same effect and therefore resulting in greater
efficiency.
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 Principle of DC (BLDC) Motor
N S Magnetic field
A, B and C Armature coils (1200)

Expression to determine Torque, T

T= kIB
Where,
T = Motor Torque [N.m]
I = current in the conductors[A]
B = average flux density
surrounding the current-carrying
conductors [T]
k = a constant, dependent upon the
Special current-fed DC Motor
number of turns per coil and the
size of the armature.
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 Brushed DC Motor with sliprings
Coil A, B, and C Armature windings
1, 2 and 3 terminals connected to the
+ve side of the power source.
4, 5 and 6 terminals connected to the
ve side of the power source.

The commutator can be replaced by an

array of mechanical switches and a set
of slip-rings.
Circuit showing how current is
controlled in coil A 12
 Construction of a BLDC Motor
A BLDC motor has permanent
magnets which rotate and a fixed
armature, eliminating the problems
of connecting current to the moving
armature.
Stationary electronic commutator
with 12 thyristors
Commutating process
By firing the thyristors earlier or later, we
produce the same effect as shifting the
The armature is now the stator, and the
switches have been replaced by brushes.
thyristors.

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 Brushless DC (BLDC) Motor driven by
a converter
The power factor of the motor has
to be slightly leading to provide the
reactive power absorbed by the
converter.

Brushless dc motor being driven by a

converter.

The converter and motor could be replaced by a

dc motor..
The armature coils are connected in Wye and
the 3 leads are soldered to a 3-segment
commutator.

This elementary dc motor is equivalent 14

to the entire circuit
 A Miniature Blower using
BLDC Motor

This miniature blower, rated at 1 W, 12 V dc, 2500 r/min, is driven by a brushless

dc motor. The 7-blade impeller on the left contains a circular 4-pole permanent
magnet that constitutes the revolving field. The stationary armature on the right
consists of four coils that are commutated by an electronic switch. The switch is
timed by a position-sensing detector; together they behave like a pair of brushes
riding on a 4-segment commutator. 15
 Switching circuit of BLDC Motor
Hall effect sensors or a rotary
encoder to directly measure the
rotor's position.
Because the controller must direct
the rotor rotation, the controller
needs some means of determining
the rotor's orientation/position
(relative to the stator coils.)
Others measure the back EMF in
the undriven coils to infer the rotor
position, eliminating the need for Construction of a 12 V, 1 W brushless dc motor
for blower application. The coil structure is
separate Hall effect sensors, and stationary. At this instant, the Hall detector H
therefore are often called sensorless triggers coils A on and B off.

controllers. 16
 Switching circuit of BLDC Motor

Construction of a 12 V, 1 W brushless dc motor

for blower application. The coil structure is
stationary. At this instant, the Hall detector H
triggers coils A on and B off.

Switching circuit of brushless dc motor and waveshapes. 17

 Switching circuit of BLDC Motor
The waveforms show
multiple transitions between
high and low voltage levels,
approximations to a trapezoid
or sinusoid which reduce
harmonic losses.
Like an AC motor, the voltage
on the undriven coils is
sinusoidal, but over an entire
commutation the output
appears trapezoidal because
of the DC output of the
controller.
Switching circuit of brushless dc motor and waveshapes. 18
 Kv rating
The Kv rating of a design of brushless motor is the constant
relating the motor's unloaded RPM to the peak (not RMS)
voltage on the wires connected to the coils (the "back-
EMF").
For example, a 5,700 Kv motor, supplied with 11.1 V, will
run at a nominal 63,270 rpm.
By Lenz's law, a running motor will create a back-EMF
proportional to the RPM.

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 Applications of BLDC Motor
Consumer electronics
VCD/DVD player motors
Transport
Electric vehicles/bikes
Heating and ventilation
HVAC and Cooling systems
Industrial engineering
Robotics/stepper motors
Model engineering
Aircraft /Helicopter working model
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 SUMMARY
We have discussed the following sub-topics:

1. Introduction to BLDC Motors

2. Constructional features of BLDC Motor
3. Working principle
4. Wave form characteristics
5. Application of BLDC Motor

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