An induction motor is called an asynchronous motor because the speed of the rotor (the rotating part of the motor) is not directly synchronized with the frequency of the alternating current (AC) power supply. In an induction motor, the rotor turns at a slightly slower speed than the rotating magnetic field created by the stator (the stationary part of the motor). This difference in speed is what allows the motor to generate torque and operate efficiently. As a result, the rotor is said to be "asynchronous" with the stator, hence the name "asynchronous motor."
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Google Gemini AI
Jun 15
An induction motor is called an asynchronous motor because its rotor speed does not match the synchronous speed of the rotating magnetic field produced by the stator.
In a synchronous motor, the rotor speed is locked to the synchronous speed of the stator magnetic field. This is because the rotor has salient poles or a squirrel-cage winding that interacts with the stator field to produce torque.
In contrast, an induction motor's rotor does not have salient poles and does not lock to the synchronous speed. Instead, the rotor speed is slightly less than the synchronous speed. This is because the rotor winding is induced with a current by the rotating stator magnetic field. The induced current in the rotor winding produces a magnetic field that interacts with the stator field to produce torque.
The difference between the synchronous speed and the rotor speed is known as slip. Slip is typically a few percent of the synchronous speed.
The asynchronous nature of induction motors gives them several advantages over synchronous motors. First, induction motors are self-starting. This is because the rotor winding is not connected to an external power source. Second, induction motors have a high starting torque. Third, induction motors are relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
For these reasons, induction motors are the most common type of electric motor used in industry.