EEE 471

Brushless DC Motor (BLDC)

Dr. A Hasib Chowdhury

Dept. of EEE, BUET
August 2014

Brushless DC Motor (BLDC)

Conventional dc motors are highly efficient
Their characteristics make them suitable for use as
servomotors: current and torque, voltage and
rpm are linearly related
Functions of commutator and brushes implemented
by solid-state switches brushless dc motor
maintenance-free motor
Formal definition: A BLDC is a synchronous electric
motor powered by dc electricity
has an electronically controlled commutation system,
instead of a mechanical commutation system based on
brushes

Brushless DC Motor (BLDC)

contd.

Combines advantages of PMDC motor and

synchronous motor
No excitation losses, and no wear out
Low reactive current, similar to DC motor,
current proportional to torque
Measuring shaft torque is easy by detecting
DC current in DC link
High supply voltage allowed
only limited by power transistors in frequency
inverter and winding insulation of motor

Like DC motor, BLDC needs speed control and

speed sensor
Like synchronous motor, BLDC needs its

Basic Structures
It is an inside out dc motor
Armature on stator instead of rotor commutator do not
need rotating parts, electronic commutator used
Rotor is a permanent magnet no power supply needed

Structure of a
typical three-phase
BLDC

Basic Structures

contd.

Stator windings similar to those in a polyphase ac

motor
Rotor composed of one or more permanent magnets
BLDC different from ac synchronous motors
incorporates means to detect rotor position to produce
signals to control electronic switches
Most common position/pole sensor is Hall element,
some motors use optical sensors
Sensorless control also possible done by measuring
back EMF in undriven coils to infer rotor position

Variation in Construction
Several different physical configurations
Conventional (also known as 'inrunner') configuration
Permanent magnets mounted on spinning armature (rotor)
Three stator windings surround rotor
Outrunner configuration
Radial-relationship between coils and magnets reversed; stator coils
form center (core) of motor
Permanent magnets spin on an overhanging rotor which surrounds core
Flat type
Stator and rotor plates, mounted face to face used where there are
space or shape limitations
Outrunners typically have more poles, set up in triplets to
maintain three groups of windings, and have a higher torque at
low RPMs

Variation in Construction
contd.
Two electrical configurations having to do with how windings
are connected to each other (not their physical shape or
location)
Delta configuration
Wye configuration

Delta configuration gives low torque at low rpm, but can give
higher top rpm
Wye configuration gives high torque at low rpm, but not as
high top rpm
Wye winding normally more efficient
At any given time, two-thirds of windings in a delta configuration are
running at half the voltage of the other, which has an impact on
efficiency
Wye winding always powers only two windings in series, so higher
voltages (or lower-resistance windings) can be used

Variation in Construction
contd.

Two-phase BLDCs also very commonly used for

simple construction and drive circuits

Cross section of a two-phase

motor having auxiliary salient
poles

Advantages Over Brushed DC

Motors
BLDC motors and conventional dc motors are similar in static
characteristics, but remarkable differences in some aspects
Conventional dc motor commutation by brushes and
commutator
BLDC motor commutation by using semiconductor devices
(eg. transistors)
Higher efficiency and reliability
Reduced noise
Longer lifetime (no brush erosion)
Elimination of ionizing sparks from commutator
Overall reduction of electromagnetic interference (EMI)
Electromagnets can be cooled by conduction to motor
casing, requiring no airflow inside motor for cooling so
motor's internals can be entirely enclosed
Maximum power that can be applied to a BLDC motor is

Main Disadvantage
Higher cost BLDC motors require complex
electronic speed controllers to run
Many practical uses have not been well
developed in commercial sector
Under high mechanical loads, BLDC motors and
high-quality brushed motors are comparable in
efficiency

Comparison of Conventional and Brushless

DC Motors

Drive Circuits
Unipolar drive

A simple 3-phase unipolar-operated motor

(optical sensors as position detectors)

Drive Circuits

contd.

Phototransistors PT1, PT2, PT3 placed at 1200 intervals

Exposed to light in sequence through a revolving shutter

As rotor S-pole faces P2, PT1 detects light and turns

transistor Tr1 on
S-pole, created at pole P1 by current in winding W1,
attracts rotor N-pole to move it in the direction of arrow
When N-pole comes to position to face pole P1, shutter
shades PT1, and PT2 will be exposed to light transistor
Tr2 turned on

Drive Circuits

contd.

A current flows through winding W2, creates a S-pole

on P2
Rotor N-pole revolves in the direction of arrow and
face P2
At this moment, shutter shades PT2, and PT3
exposed to light
These actions steer current from winding W2 to W3
Thus P2 de-energized, while P3 energized creates
S-pole
Hence N-pole on rotor further travels from P2 to P3
without stopping
By repeating such a switching action in sequence,
permanent magnet rotor revolves continuously

Drive Circuits

Switching sequence and

rotation of stator's
magnetic field

contd.

Drive Circuits
Bipolar drive
Efficiency highest
when a 3-phase
BLDC motor is
driven by a 3-phase
bridge, since
current flows
through each
winding
This drive is called
'bipolar drive'
(since a winding is
alternately
energized in south
and north poles)

contd.

Three phase bipolar-driven BLDC motor

Drive Circuits

contd.

6 phototransistors placed at equal intervals to detect rotor

position
These photo elements exposed in sequence to light through a
revolving shutter
The relation between the ON/OFF state of the transistors and
the light detecting phototransistors are quite complex.
The simplest relation is set when the logic sequencer is
arranged in such a way that when a phototransistor marked
with a certain number is exposed to light, the transistor of the
same number turns ON.
Fig.6 shows that when currents flow through Tr1, Tr4, and Tr5,
terminals U and W have the battery voltage, while terminal V
has zero potential.
In this state, a current will flow from terminal U to V, and
another current from W to V as illustrated in Fig.7.

Motor from a 3.5" floppy disk drive. The coils, arranged radially, are made from
copper wire coated with blue insulation. The rotor (upper right) has been
removed and turned upside-down. The grey ring inside its cup is a permanent
magnet.

The four poles on the stator of a two-phase brushless motor. This

is part of a computer cooling fan; the rotor has been removed.