Difference Between AC and DC Motor

Difference Between AC and DC Motor: The motor is an integral part that plays a crucial role in the world of electrochemical devices. We live in a modern world where at the moment time there are 2 prominent kinds of motors. They have the potential to power our world. These two are AC (alternating current) motors and DC (direct current) motors.

In AC motors, the part that doesn’t move is called the armature, and it’s surrounded by a spinning magnetic field. On the other hand, in DC motors, the armature itself rotates, while the magnetic field around it stays still. AC motors have three input terminals labeled R, Y, and B, whereas DC motors have two input terminals known as positive and negative.

In this article, we will get to know about the difference between AC motors and DC motors along with the definition and applications of AC and DC motors.

What is an AC Motor?

AC motor is a type of electric motor that stands for Alternating Current. AC motor uses the concept of electromagnetic induction to convert the current into mechanical energy. They are widely used in various industrial and commercial applications. They are mainly used because they do possess some amazing properties such as being highly reliable, and efficient and maintaining the ability to consistently deliver high torque. Also, the good part is that it has low maintenance.

The 2 parts of the AC motor are the stator and rotor. The stator is the stationary part of the motor and the rotor is the rotating part. 

Read: AC Motor: Diagram, Types, Working Principle

How Does an AC Motor Work?

• AC Motor is known for its electromagnetic induction phenomenon. Now one thing we need to know is that the AC motor contains 2 parts. The first is a stator that contains stationary windings. This helps in generating a rotating magnetic field. The second part is the rotor. Its main function is that it houses the rotating elements. So when current is induced over here, there is a creation of a magnetic field that interacts with the stator.

Applications of AC Motor

• Industrial machinery
• Commercial applications
• Household appliances

What is a DC Motor?

DC motor is a type of electric motor that stands for Direct Current. The role of the DC motor is to convert the electric current into mechanical energy through direct current. The 2 important parts of the DC motor are the stator and armature. This stator consists of permanent magnets.

Armature is nothing but a rotor with coils of wire. The stator is the stationary part of the motor and the armature rotates.

How Does a DC Motor Work?

The DC Motor obeys the principle of electromagnetic attraction and repulsion. As we discussed above, it contains 2 essential parts. First is the stator and second is the armature. When we supply a direct current to the armature, a magnetic field is generated. This specific interaction between the magnets of the stator and the armature’s magnetic field is the reason behind the rotation of the rotor.

Applications of DC Motor

• Robotics
• Electric Vehicles
• Household appliances.

What is the difference between AC and DC Motor?

The rotation of AC motors is such that it generally rotates in a fixed direction which is already decided by the phase of the alternating current, and changing the direction requires additional components. On the other hand, DC motors can easily change their direction of rotation and this is simply done by reversing the polarity of the applied voltage. In reality, the AC motors require less maintenance as the reason behind this is that because they don’t have brushes and commutators that get damaged after certain amount of time. On the other hand the DC Motors require periodic maintenance and that is because in order to replace damaged brushes and commutators. The most general use of AC motors is where a constant speed is required, such as household appliances, fans, etc. On the other hand, DC motors are widely used in applications where the speed must vary such as electric vehicles, robotics, etc.

Tabular Difference Between AC and DC Motor

The table provided below mentions the difference between AC and DC Motor including its uses, efficiency, speed, maintenance etc:

SR. No.	AC Motor	DC Motor
1)	An electric motor that is functioned by an alternating current (AC).	An electric motor that converts Direct current into mechanical energy.
2)	Longer life.	Shorter life.
3)	Uses AC.	Uses DC.
4)	Less maintenance.	High maintenance.
5)	Types are synchronous AC motors and induction motors.	Types are DC motors with brushes and DC motors without brushes.
6)	Single-phase or three-phase single-phase configurations are available.	Only a single-phase configuration is available.
7)	Lower efficiency.	Higher efficiency.
8)	Used when high speed is the requirement.	Used when constant control of speed is the requirement.

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Conclusion – AC vs DC Motor

In conclusion, we can understand that the AC motor and DC motor are the 2 primary motors that have various applications and are one of the most needful resources on the planet. AC motors depend on the electromagnetic induction concept. DC motors obey the principles of magnetic attraction and repulsion. It is essential to understand the differences between AC motors and DC motors.

FAQs on Difference Between AC and DC Motor

1. What are the advantages of AC motors over DC motors?

AC Motor has a simple design and has a lower cost than DC Motor. Also, It has a longer life and less maintenance. Apart from this three-phase configuration is available and it can operate on different speeds.

2. Can an AC motor be used with DC power and vice versa?

Both the AC motor and DC motor have separate functions. If used vice-versa can result in improper results. The internal design won’t support such functioning.

3. Which motor is more commonly used in household appliances?

AC Motor is the one that is used more commonly in household appliances. The reason behind this is that there is a massive availability of AC Motors in residential areas.

4. Which motor out of the two requires higher maintenance?

DC Motor is the one that requires higher maintenance. This is because DC Motor has a greater number of moving parts than AC Motor.

5. Which motor type is used in industrial machines?

Both AC and DC motors have their purposes in industrial areas. Depending on a specific purpose either one is used.

6. Which motor is more environmentally friendly?

AC motors are more environmentally friendly. This is because they don’t use brushes and commutators.