Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 Slide 5 Slide 6 Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9 Slide 10 Slide 11 Slide 12 Slide 13 Slide 14 Slide 15 Slide 16 Slide 17 Product List
Motor Driver in White Goods Applications Slide 3

This slide takes a look at what kinds of motors are used in these three applications, where they are used, what features they usually require, and where the decision is made on the driver for the motor. A high end refrigerator has quite a few motors in it. There is an internal and external fan that are driven by brushless DC motors, a damper that has its position controlled by a stepper motor, and two brushed motors that are used in the automatic ice maker. There is also an additional stepper motor used for automatic filter cleaning. The air conditioner has brushless dc motors for the internal and external fan. It also has a stepper motor performing an auto filter cleaning function. There can also be a stepper motor controlling where the air is directed when leaving the unit. Lastly, the clothes washer and dryer uses a brushless DC motor for generating the dry air wind, a brushed DC motor driver for water supply and drain, and a stepper to control the damper that sets the temperature of the drying air. The last column on the table identifies who decides what motor driver is used. Usually for the refrigerator and air conditioning fan motors the decision is made by the motor maker. This is also true for the washer and dryer blower fan motor, supply, and drain pump motor. This is so, because in many cases, the white goods designer uses motors for these applications with built in drivers. The remaining applications, like the ice makers and steppers used for filter cleaning, are unique and chosen by the appliance designer.

PTM Published on: 2012-12-21