What is the difference between brushed vs brushless motor hand dryers?
When looking at our website you’ll likely notice mentions of brushed vs brushless motors, but you might not have an understanding of what this means, and why it should be considered when looking at hand dryers. In this post we’ll explore the difference between brushed vs brushless motors, and what to think about when buying.
Universal Brushed Motors
Universal brushed motors are so-called as they work on AC as well as DC voltage. They are called ‘brushed’ because they have carbon brushes for commutation. Brushed motors are the most widely used type of hand dryer motor because they provide good airspeed, reasonable life expectancy and are cost-efficient.
Flow vacuum brushed motors have found use in high-speed hand dryers as they have rotating levels in excess of 20,000 rpm, so are able to generate more air force. One downside to the brushed motor is that the carbon brushes will wear over time and require changing in order to keep the hand dryer operational.
Brushless DC (BLDC) motors
‘Brushless’ means the motor does not have carbon brushes for commutation. The commutation is instead digitally controlled by a PCB board. The speed is not limited by the friction of the carbon brushes and can be switched thousands of times per second to provide very high RPM which is not possible with other motors. An example is the motor in the Dyson V Blade hand dryer which runs at 90,000 rpm. This motor is sometimes known as a digital motor.
The reason for the high costs of a good quality BLDC motor is mainly due to the use of powerful rare earth magnets and electronics for switching the motor. Brushless motors have a higher initial carbon footprint, but because they have a longer lifespan and reduced maintenance the lifetime-carbon footprint is likely to be lower than their brushed counterparts.
Which is better for you, a brushed or brushless motor?
In summary, brushed motors have good airspeed, medium cost and medium lifespan expectancy. Brushless DC motors also have good airspeed, a long-life expectancy, low maintenance and come at a premium cost.
As a rule of thumb, we say a high-quality brushless motor is a worthwhile investment for high footfall locations like airports and shopping centres but for lesser-used locations a brushed motor will do just fine and save initial cost.
If you are unsure of which way to go then just drop us a line. We have in-house experts that would love to help you find the perfect hand dryer package for your situation. You can call us on 0114 3540047, or see our contact page.
