Historically used in smaller-load residential settings, electronically commutated mo-tor (ECM) technology is making the leap thanks to recent improvements and in-creased awareness among engineers. Start with the basics, proceed to advantages and caveats, and consider the ways ECM designs can streamline the economics of air movement.
According to the United States Department of Energy, motors in homes and commercial buildings consume more than one-third of all the electricity used in these buildings. Sixty-five percent of electrical energy used in commercial and industrial systems goes to support electrical motors powering centrifugal pumps and fans.
This makes the motor one of the most important components of HVAC systems. The efficiency and reliability of the HVAC system is dependent on the performance of the motor, which is the primary building block for all pumps and fans.