Ceiling Fan Motor Analysis

December, 2010

Energy Star Program -- Residential

Ceiling Fans (Version 2.3)

Residential ceiling fan is defined as a non-portable device
designed for home use that is suspended from the ceiling for
circulating air via the rotation of fan blades.
Some ceiling fans also have an integral or attachable light kit.

Key Requirements
Minimum CFM and CFM/watt requirements
Pin based option in light kits
Minimum 30-year motor, 1-year component, and 2-year light kit
warranty requirements
Fan Speed

Minimum Airflow

Efficiency Requirement

Low

1,250 CFM

155 CFM/watt

Medium

3,000 CFM

100 CFM/watt

High

5,000 CFM

75 CFM/watt

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Other Ceiling Fan-Related Trends

Energy efficient
Quiet
Designer
Incorporating light fixture

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Type of Motor used in Ceiling Fans and Salient

Feature of the Conventional Motor

Ceiling Fans are direct driven mostly using single-phase Induction motor.
Split-phase permanent capacitor
Capacitor start, capacitor run
Shaded pole motor

Motors have windings wound for 18, 20 or 22 poles, resulting in to lower

operating speeds (Most common: 18 pole).

The rotor resistance is very high for wide speed control range using the
stator voltage control.

The operating speed range for the ceiling fans are
180 rpm to 380 rpm for countries like India
110 rpm to 220 rpm for Developed World
Low Speed is approx. half of high speed

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Type of Motor used in Ceiling Fans and

Salient Feature of the Conventional Motor

High speed motor efficiency of about 20%.

In India the minimum air delivery to achieve 5-star energy rating is
210 m3/min, i.e. If the Fan draws 52.5 W or less then it is qualified
for 5-star energy rating.

The hub diameter is about 15% of the tip diameter.

The blade angle is about 10 to 15 and constant from hub to tip.

Between low and high speeds three to five operating speed at
equal interval is achieved using the variable speed control.

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Improvement in Ceiling Fan

Performance by Motor Design

Replacing the conventional 1-phase induction motor with energy
efficient 1-phase induction motor

Higher efficiency compared to the conventional motor

Rotor bars are made up of copper instead of aluminium
Increase in copper
Increase in Iron
Higher Cost compared to conventional 1-ph. Induction Motor
Example: 70 W input power can be reduce to 50-55 W.

Replacing the conventional 1-phase induction motor with 1-phase /

3-phase PMBL DC motor
Higher efficiency compared to the energy efficient 1-phase induction
motor at all the speeds
Higher Motor Cost due to the presence of Magnet, Electronics and
Sensors

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Improvement in Ceiling Fan

Performance by Motor Design

Small pay back period for the additional cost

Difficulty in achieving the sensorless operation due to low
operating speed

Single phase PMBL DC motor should have a non-uniform airgap to
achieve starting torque at all rotor positions.

In case of fan with 1-ph. PMBL DC motor, when the fan is switched
off, Jerky motion of rotor due to preferred parking position of the
rotor.

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Benchmarked Ceiling Fans

No.

Fan
Manufacturer

Supply

Motor

Magnet

Controller

Emerson

120 VAC,
60 Hz

PSC type single

phase Induction

None

Using Different value of

Capacitances

Emerson

120 VAC,
60 Hz

3-Phase PMBL
DC

Rubber
Ferrite

Rhine Electronics Co. Ltd.

Model No. RH-165M
120 V AC, 60 Hz, 0.65 A,
40 W, 210 rpm

Regency

120 VAC,
60 Hz

3-Phase PMBL
DC

Rubber
Ferrite

Model No. RH 787 RX

FR-7871-SS-02
120 V, 60 Hz, Motor:35
W max

Monte Carlo

120 VAC,
60 Hz

3-Phase PMBL
DC

Sintered
Ferrite Arc

Youngo Ltd., Model

BJX1514AST, 120 V AC,
60 Hz, 3 A

Amasco

240 VAC,
50 Hz

3-Phase PMBL
DC

Rubber
Ferrite

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FR-7872LL-01

Fan Model

CF955 Midway
Eco 54 Dia.
(CF9550RB)

Regency Gladiator
III
MonteCarlo Avanti
52
Amasco Coaster
54 (Model AMC333)

Testing Methodology

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Testing of PSC Single Phase Induction

Motor from Emerson Ceiling Fan

Speed and direction controller

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Aluminum die cast in rotor

Testing of PSC Single Phase Induction

Motor from Emerson Ceiling Fan
V (Volts)

I (A)

Pin (W)

PF

Pout (W)

(%)

N (rpm) T (mN-m)

119.46

0.84

100.05

1.00

16.14

16

175.70

877.21

110.12

0.78

85.07

1.00

12.75

15

165.00

737.96

100.15

0.71

70.65

1.00

9.46

13

149.20

605.30

90.10

0.64

57.29

0.99

6.74

12

132.10

486.85

80.13

0.57

45.42

0.99

4.67

10

116.10

383.77

V (Volts)

I (A)

Pin (W)

N (rpm)

f (Hz)

140.59

0.95

133.28

212

59.96

130

0.8956

117.01

197

59.96

120.13
110.22

0.8257
0.7616

98.93
83.71

176
165

59.96
59.96

100.16

0.7013

70.74

149

59.96

90.62

0.6306

56.97

132

59.96

80.74

0.5631

45.32

116

59.96

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Testing of PMBL DC Motor

from Emerson Ceiling Fan
Summer Use (CCW from bottom)
Speed
setting

Supply
Volt (V)

I (A)

Pin (W)

N (rpm)

120

0.044~0.048

2.2~2.9

52

120

0.055~0.06

3.2~3.8

83

120

0.075~0.09

5~5.8

116

120

0.12~0.15

8.5~9.5

148

120

0.19~0.22

11~13.5

170

120

0.33~0.38

22~24

213

Winter Use (CW from bottom)

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Speed
setting

Supply
Volt (V)

I (A)

Pin (W)

N (rpm)

120

0.043~0.05

2.2~2.7

50

120

0.053~0.057

3.1~3.6

72.5

120

0.065~0.075

4.3~5.0

95

120

0.095~0.105

6.2~7.1

118

120

0.145~0.165

9.4~10.3

141

120

0.22~0.245

13.5~14.8

165

Benchmarking of PMBL DC Motor

from Emersion Ceiling Fan

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Testing of PMBL DC Motor

from Monte Carlo Ceiling Fan
Summer Use (CCW from bottom)
Speed
setting

Supply
Volt (V)

I (A)

Pin (W)

N (rpm)

120

0.03~0.037

1.7~2.1

40

120

0.12~0.14

6.9~7.8

86

120

0.17~0.195

10.5~11.8

101

120

0.35~0.39

21.5~23.5

132

Winter Use (CW from bottom)

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Speed
setting

Voltage

Current (A)

Pin (W)

N (rpm)

120

0.031~0.037

1.7~2.2

40

120

0.11~0.13

6.9~7.9

87

120

0.17~0.19

10.1~11.3

102

120

0.35~0.38

21.5~23.3

134

Benchmarking of PMBL DC Motor

from Monte Carlo Ceiling Fan

42

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Benchmarking of PMBL DC Motor from

Ceiling Fans Motor Details
Parameter
No. of stator slots / Magnet poles
No. of laminations on stator
Thickness of stator lamination (mm)
No. of turns/ coil
Overall diameter of motor (mm)
Winding conductor diameter (mm/ AWG)
Outer diameter of the magnet (mm)
Inner diameter of the magnet (mm)
Thickness of the magnet (mm)
Axial length of the magnet (mm)
Outer diameter of the stator (mm)
Axial length of the stator (mm)
Length of airgap (mm)
Thickness of the rotor back iron (mm)
Axial length of the back iron (mm)
Shaft diameter (mm)
Weight of copper (gm)
Weight of magnet (gm)
Weight of iron in stator laminations (gm)
Weight of rotor back iron (gm)
* Based on back iron OD and axial length of magnet

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Fan Manufacturer
Emersion
9 / 12
49
0.51
450
140.9
0.47/ 26
137.3
121.76
7.77
34.5
120.00
25.00
0.88
1.80
56.74
17~18
442.8
392
997.30
338.20

Monte Carlo
12 / 8
36
0.50
550
162.0
0.34/ 29
156.00
143.90
6.05
19.90
142.20
18.00
0.85
3.00
29.20
17.00
358.40
202.40
1441.20
334.43

Regency
9 / 12
60
0.51
499
100.6
0.34/29
96.83
86.43
5.20
44.60
84.80
30.34
0.82
1.88
57.00
17.23
258.20
243.90
581.30
250.40

Amasco
9 / 12
49
0.50
800
140.9
0.42/ 27
137.30
122.00
7.65
34.62
120.00
25.00
0.95
1.80
56.71
17.20
655
389
995.10
341.71