Note :
This article is an update of the text written by Michel FALLOU. Much of the text has been retained.
The asynchronous motor is by far the most widely used motor in all industrial and domestic electricity applications, thanks to its ease of installation, high efficiency and excellent reliability.
There are several types of asynchronous motor: single-phase, three-phase with cage, three-phase with wound rotor (§
1
and §
2
).
The current widespread use of three-phase networks, at least in Europe, means that single-phase motors, whose performance is inferior to that of their three-phase counterparts, are now only used in special applications where power ratings are limited to a few kilowatts and where the power supply is at low voltage
3
.
Several characteristics, the main ones of which are the subject of standardization, therefore lead to the choice of an asynchronous motor for a given application: rated power, rated duty, supply voltage, mechanical construction and degree of enclosure protection