An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor’s magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate force in the form of torque applied on the motor’s shaft. An electric generator is mechanically identical to an electric motor, but operates in reverse, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Electric motors are fundamental to modern life, silently powering countless aspects of our world. Their impact goes far beyond just keeping our appliances running. Here’s a look at how electric motors influence our lives:
Powering Everyday Conveniences:
Home Appliances: Imagine your kitchen without a refrigerator, blender, or dishwasher. Electric motors are the workhorses behind these appliances, making food preparation, storage, and cleaning a breeze. They’re also essential in laundry machines, vacuum cleaners, and countless other household devices.
Comfort and Entertainment: Electric motors keep us cool with fans and air conditioners, and warm with heaters. They’re the driving force behind entertainment electronics like computers, televisions, and video game consoles.
Industrial Applications:
Manufacturing Powerhouse: Electric motors are the backbone of modern industry. They power factory machinery for production lines, operate pumps for various processes, and keep conveyor belts running smoothly. Their efficiency and reliability are crucial for large-scale manufacturing.
Infrastructure: Electric motors play a vital role in our infrastructure. They pump water to our homes and businesses, keep sewage systems functional, and even power elevators in buildings.
Electric motor
- Animation showing operation of a brushed DC electric motor
- Type
- Passive
- Working principle
- Electromagnetism
- Electronic symbol
Electric motors can be powered by direct current (DC) sources, such as from batteries or rectifiers, or by alternating current (AC) sources, such as a power grid, inverters or electrical generators.
Electric motors may be classified by considerations such as power source type, construction, application and type of motion output. They can be brushed or brushless, single-phase, two-phase, or three-phase, axial or radial flux, and may be air-cooled or liquid-cooled.
Standardized motors provide power for industrial use. The largest are used for ship propulsion, pipeline compression and pumped-storage applications, with output exceeding 100 megawatts.
Applications include industrial fans, blowers and pumps, machine tools, household appliances, power tools, vehicles, and disk drives. Small motors may be found in electric watches. In certain applications, such as in regenerative braking with traction motors, electric motors can be used in reverse as generators to recover energy that might otherwise be lost as heat and friction.
Electric motors produce linear or rotary force (torque) intended to propel some external mechanism. This makes them a type of actuator. They are generally designed for continuous rotation, or for linear movement over a significant distance compared to its size. Solenoids also convert electrical power to mechanical motion, but over only a limited distance.