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[Did You Know About Cooling?] What’s the Difference Between DC Fans and AC Fans?

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Industry Trends

Release time:

2019-06-03

As the market demand for fans continues to grow, they are being applied in an ever-wider range of settings and industries—although currently... DC fan Fans—such as desk fans and ceiling fans—are ubiquitous in our daily lives. However, many people still aren't very clear about the specific features of these different types of fans. So, let me introduce you to the differences among these various kinds of fans.
First, the power supply methods differ.
DC fans operate using direct current, while AC fans run on alternating current.
Second, the working principles are different:
The principle of a DC fan is that, through the application of DC voltage and electromagnetic induction, electrical energy is converted into mechanical energy, causing the fan blades to rotate rapidly. The rotation is sustained by the continuous switching of coils and ICs, which in turn induce the magnetic ring to drive the fan blades.
The operating principle of an AC fan relies on being driven by an AC power source. The voltage alternates between positive and negative poles, generating a magnetic field entirely without the need for circuit control. Since the power supply frequency is fixed, the rate at which the magnetic poles change—determined by the power supply frequency—is directly proportional to the frequency: the higher the frequency, the faster the magnetic field switches.
Third, the difference in bearings:
Generally, the types of bearings commonly used in heat sink assemblies include sleeve bearings that rely on sliding friction, ball bearings that utilize rolling friction, and a combination of both bearing types. In recent years, many heat sink manufacturers have introduced numerous new bearing technologies—such as magnetic levitation bearings, hydrodynamic bearings, magnetic core bearings, and Rill bearings—all of which represent improvements upon these basic bearing designs. Nevertheless, their underlying operating principles remain unchanged. On conventional air-cooled heat sinks, oil-impregnated bearings and ball bearings are the most widely used. Dual-ball bearings are considered high-end products: they offer high precision, superior quality, and come at a premium price—making them “three-high” products. Oil-impregnated bearings can meet a wide range of operating conditions and boast an exceptionally long service life; moreover, they are relatively inexpensive. However, their overall quality tends to be somewhat average.
Shenzhen Jiangshanlai Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in 2005 in Shenzhen, China. It is a large-scale enterprise integrating customization, R&D, manufacturing, sales, and service of DC brushless motors, DC cooling fans, DC brushless fans, DC stand fans, boosted cooling fans, miniature cooling fans, DC cooling fans, DC blowers, and non-standard fans. We are a wholesale manufacturer and supplier of DC fans. Our products are best-selling in Guangdong Province—including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dongguan—as well as in Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces.

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