Brushless Blower Technology

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Variable speed blowers offer a unique solution to several medical device systems requiring a fluctuating air flow. However, device designers are unlikely to be all that familiar with it. Therefore, this article outlines the key features of blowers that are used in medical devices, explains why brushless is preferred over brush commutated, and reviews the applications in which the blowers are most commonly used.




Jeffrey L. Anzevino is a sales engineer for Blower Products-Medical at AMETEK Technical & Industrial Products. His responsibilities include product development for the global medical market.

Opportunities abound in the world of medical devices and healthcare equipment for designers to prescribe variable-speed blowers. Among notable applications:
Respiratory equipment-Blowers perform in ventilators and sleep apnea machines to deliver forced air to a patient's lungs.

Therapeutic beds-Many bed applications engage blowers both for inflation of the mattress (for therapeutic support) and to sustain airflow across a patient's skin.

Dental aspirators-Blowers exhibiting high vacuum capabilities enable HVE (high-volume extraction) of particles during drilling procedures.

Fume evacuation devices-Blowers serve to remove smoke plume and bio-contaminants during cauterizing and/or electrosurgery operations.

Although every application presents particular operating and performance demands, all variable-speed blowers in medical applications and settings ideally should provide high-purity air, minimize maintenance requirements, offer high efficiency and long life with little noise, and fit within ever-shrinking design envelopes. Designers can achieve positive outcomes in meeting these requirements by specifying brushless technology for blower applications.