Motor

How it is used

Used in power, automation and product design. A motor starts, runs, stalls, overheats or trips. Engineers talk about rated power in kW, speed in rpm, starting current, the nameplate and the drives (VFDs) that control motor speed.

Example sentences

1. The motor nameplate says 7.5 kW, 400 V, 1450 rpm.

2. We installed a drive so that the fan motor can run at lower speeds at night.

Common collocations

• induction motor
• brushless DC motor
• motor drive
• starting current
• motor nameplate

Related terms

• three-phaseDescribing an AC system with three voltages of the same frequency, each shifted by 120 degrees from the others. It is used to transmit power and run large motors efficiently.
• inverterA power electronic device that converts DC into AC. Inverters connect solar panels and batteries to the grid, supply AC loads in UPS systems and produce variable-frequency AC in motor drives.
• overloadA condition in which a circuit, cable or machine carries more current or power than it is rated for over a period of time. Unlike a short circuit, it builds up heat gradually.
• generatorA machine that converts mechanical energy, for example from an engine, a turbine or the wind, into electrical energy. A standby diesel generator supplies power when the grid fails.
• loadAny device or circuit that draws power from a source, such as a motor, a lamp or a heater. The word also means the amount of power or current being drawn.

More terms: Power Systems and Electrical Machines

• transformer
• battery
• rectifier
• phase
• grid
• substation
• transmission line