Types of AC Motor - Different Types of Motors

An AC motor is an electric motor driven by an alternating current. The AC motor commonly consists of two basic parts, an outside stationary stator having coils supplied with alternating current to produce a rotating magnetic field, and an inside rotor attached to the output shaft producing a second rotating magnetic field. The rotor magnetic field may be produced by permanent magnets, reluctance saliency, or DC or AC electrical windings.

Video source by- Learning Engineering

DC motor classification we described in our another Article.

Video source by- Learning Engineering

Synchronous Motors:-

  

These motors have the rotor rotating at the same speed as the speed of rotation of the stator current. In other words, we can say these motors don't have slip with respect to the stator current. They are sometimes used no to drive the load but instead act as "synchronous condenser", to improve the power factor of the local grid to which it is connected to. These kind of motors are used even in high precision positioning devices like modern robots. They can also act as stepper motors.

Asynchronous Motors:-

The most common form of motor which is used in everyday life from pumping water up the overhead tank to power plant boiler feed pumps, these kind of motors rule. These motors are very flexible to use and matches the load demand almost for everything. The most widely used Induction Motors are very important for many industries due to their load bearing capacity and flexibility. These motors, unlike synchronous motors, slip when compared to the stator current field. They are generally used for various types of pumps, compressors and acts as prime movers for many machineries.

Single & Three Phase Motors:-

AC Motors can find their usage in 2 forms based on their power supply. The single phase motors are generally found their use in low power requirements or domestic appliances like ceiling fans, mixer grinders, portable power tools etc. The three phase motors are generally found for high power requirements like power drives for compressors, hydraulic pumps, air conditioning compressors, irrigation pumps and many more.