AC Induction Motors Applications, Basics and Advantages

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AC Induction Motors Applications

Electric motors do one thing, and one thing only – they convert electrical energy into mechanical. However, these motors doing just one thing doesn’t mean that they have just one use, on the contrary, the AC induction motors applications are countless. There are two types of AC motors, single-phase and three-phase. The three-phase type motors are currently the most popular ones since over 60% of the machines used in different kinds of industries are run by them.

Household applications for AC induction motors include fans, refrigerator compressors, rotary compressor fans of air conditioners, water pumps, and many others. Through different industries, they are used in electric saws, conveyor belts of all sizes and fixed cranes. There are induction motors even in much larger engines, from diesel electric engines, ships, trains to nuclear electric submarines. There are AC induction motors applications in many other industries and household appliances, but these are some of the most common. Single-phase motors can also be found in households, as motors in washing machines, dryers and many other home appliances. This is because the single-phase AC motors are very practical and are mostly used within households, whereas the complicated and heavy duty, three-phase motors are used mainly in large industries.

A huge advantage of these motors is the energy output. The transformer, which is an integral part, only works with AC motors and the energy output can be set to either high or low voltage uses. This is what enables these motors to reduce how much electric power is wasted, as the voltage use can be set from the household 12V to the industrial 240V. The reduction of electric waste can be achieved with a DC motor, however, the process of doing that is way more tedious and complicated. Yet another advantage of AC motors is their durability. The motor can run for many years with no or little money spent on maintenance. One of the biggest reasons why AC induction motors are so popular is because they don’t produce sparks. This means that they can be and are being used in very hazardous environments. You can even use them underwater. The same thing doesn’t apply to DC motors, as they produce sparks and can cause explosions when working around flammable gases and in hazardous environments, plus, they most certainly can’t be used underwater. AC motors are also great because they can be connected directly to the AC source. This isn’t very important when it comes to household use, however, in industries, it’s a huge money saver.