Ever wondered what makes your ceiling fans so cool?
No, not just in terms
of the cool air but the ultra-smart technology that makes them so efficient.
Modern-day fans are equipped with smart technology and an appealing
aesthetic design. They deck up your homes as masterpieces and not just a
cooling appliance.
Talking about technology, the BLDC fans are creating a buzz in the fan
industry. Here, we bring you a close comparison between the BLDC fans and
their traditional counterpart i.e normal fans on various aspects. Finally, we
share with you some of the best brands that offer BLDC fans in the market to
help you make a perfect choice for your homes.
What are BLDC Fans? Unwinding the
Technology Behind Better Efficiency
Ceiling fans run on two types of motors-Brushed Motors and Brushless
Motors. While the former has been around in the industry for several
decades, the latter is a relatively new entrant.
The term BLDC stands for Brushless Direct Current Motors. It essentially
comprises a synchronous motor clubbed with a DC electric source. A
comprehensive power supply produces an electric signal to drive the motor.
Today, BLDC motors are a safe bet and much sought-after technology. They
promise a longer lifespan and increased reliability.
The windings in the BLDC motor are supported by the housing. This feature
allows the motor to cool by conduction. So, no external airflow is required
for internal cooling, thus protecting the motor from dirt and foreign
substances. Some of the prime benefits of BLDC motor fans can be listed as:
Lower Electricity Consumption with estimated 65% savings
Better and longer back-up on inverters
Increased reliability
Considerable reduction in noise
Better durability and longer lifespan
BLDC Fans Vs Normal Fans: A Battle of Better
Performance
Why do BLDC motor fans score well over normal fans? Well, because in
terms of technology, electricity consumption, noise reduction, efficiency,
lifespan, and various other parameters it has an edge over conventional fans.
In this detailed comparison below you get to see the differences between the
two quite vividly.
Unmatched Technologies
BLDC motor fans comprise a permanent magnet that steers the motor unlike
electromagnets found in the conventional induction motor.
The permanent magnet technology uses significantly less power with
virtually no loss of heat. On the other hand, conventional induction motors
use a lot of power and are subject to heating loss and poor efficiency.
BLDC Motor fans use no commutators and brushes therefore the occurrence
of mechanical wear and tear is minuscule. Moreover, the chances of winding
failure in BLDC fans are extremely low. This is because they use high-
quality copper wires against the low-quality aluminium wires used in
conventional fans.
Air Delivery
In terms of air delivery, both BLDC and normal fans are more or less the
same. They both have air delivery rate in the range of 230-260 CMM. BLDC
fans from Atomberg have an airflow rate of around 230 CMM, while Usha’s
new premium BLDC model USHA Heleous has an airflow rate of 260
CMM.
Power Consumption: Defining Efficiency
Power consumption perhaps is the most direct advantage of BLDC fans,
With an average consumption of 70-80 Watts, normal fans do not support
your energy-saving efforts. On the flip side, BLDC fans consume just 28-40
Watts on average and remarkably contribute to low electricity bills. A 28
Watt BLDC Motor fan can contribute or translate to Rs.1500-2000 savings a
year which is significant savings for Indian households.
For example, if you run the fan for 10 hours a day, a normal fan would
consume 75 x 10=750 watts, while a BLDC fan will consume just 28 x
10=280 watts, resulting in a saving of 470 watts or 0.47 units per day. If you
consider the average electricity charge as Rs. 9 per unit, this means a saving
of 4.23 Rs per day. This means a saving of Rs. 1543 per year. Fans in
bedrooms are likely to be used for such a time frame.
Out of the brands, Atomberg offers the best energy efficiency, with most of
their models consuming just 28 Watts of electricity, while Superfans and
Crompton consume around 35 Watts and Usha to the north of 40 watts.
The following chart gives you a better understanding of how power
consumption differs widely between an Atomberg BDLC Motor fan and a
traditional ceiling fan.
BLDC Motor Fans Power Consumption Normal Ceiling Fan
Speed of the Fan
( Atomberg) Power Consumption
1 6 Watts 16 Watts
2 10 Watts 27 Watts
BLDC Motor Fans Power Consumption Normal Ceiling Fan
Speed of the Fan
( Atomberg) Power Consumption
3 14 Watts 45 Watts
4 19 Watts 55 Watts
5 28 Watts 75 Watts
Inverter Operations: Back-Up Sustainability
When working in inverter mode conventional fans, as they consume higher
energy, puts an unnecessary burden on the inverter, thus draining its battery
faster.
BLDC fans, on the other hand, consume very little power when running on
inverters. So, you can run multiple BLDC fans simultaneously throughout the
house.
This makes BLDC fans a preferable choice for those living in places with
scorching summers.
Noise Control: Redefining Silence
Normal fans no doubt make a distinct humming sound and more so when
they run on low-budget inverters. On the other hand, BLDC fans make very
nominal noise. No wonder they are often categorized as silent motor fans.
Speed Control: Regulating Air Flow
Normal fans that run on induction motors use regulators to control speed.
The regulators work on the principle of capacitive resistance to control the
flow of current in the induction motors thereby increasing or decreasing the
speed of the fan.
Speed in BLDC motor fans is controlled by digitally regulating the flow of
current into the motor. Generally, BLDC motor fans run on the remote
control for regulating speed rather than the conventional regulators.
Atomberg offers a model- Atomberg Renessa Alpha, which can be controlled
using a regulator.
Pricing
Normal fans start from a reasonable price range of Rs.1200 whereas BLDC
fans are initially priced in the higher bracket of Rs.3000 and more. However,
considering the annual savings of Rs.1500-2000 that one can achieve by
using BLDC fans the higher price is well justified. In the long run, the higher
upfront cost of the BLDC fans can be recovered through energy savings in
less than a year.
Brands Making a Mark in the BLDC Domain
Here are some of the big leaders who have made a mark by introducing
technology-driven BLDC fans in India and thus revolutionizing the ceiling
fan industry.
Versa Drives marked a foray into the world of BLDC fans by
introducing the first of its kind called Superfan in the year 2012.
They offer a wide variety of energy-efficient BLDC fans in a
varied color palette and blade sizes ranging from 90mm to
1400mm.
Atomberg Technologies is perhaps the most successful brand
selling BLDC fans. With a 4+ star rating, Atomberg sells BLDC
Ceiling fans, table fans, pedestal fans, and wall fans.
Jupiter a well-known manufacturer of BLDC fans is renowned
in the market for its technologically advanced BLDC motor fans.
Four popular models of the brand include- Tricopter,
Quadcopter, Kaira, and Maharaja. However, they are yet to
reach a significant reach like Atomberg.
Orient Fans one of the market leader in conventional ceiling
fans have ventured into the BLDC Fan domain with its two
famous models the ECO series and the Aeroquite.
Crompton’s Energion BLDC fans launched in 2019 are robust
and energy-efficient fans with advanced technology and come
with a 5-year warranty.
Havells entered the BLDC fan market segment with the launch
of the Efficiencia Neo in the year 2019. They now sell numerous
other models too with BLDC technology
Panasonic, another trusted brand name in the electrical
appliance industry introduced the Anchor F-12XDA BLDC
Fans. These fans can operate on a wide range of voltage from
100-300 Volts. With a reputation for superior quality and
performance, they come with a warranty of 2 years.
Undoubtedly BLDC Fans are the next generation of ceiling fans in India.
They don’t just promise power savings and energy efficiency but
performance and better air delivery that marks a revolutionary change in the
fan industry for years to come.
