There are alternating current (A.C.) table fan or ceiling fan or blowers and direct current table fan or ceiling fan or blowers.
An electric fan is simply an electric motor to which the blades are fixed so that when the motor of the fan rotates, the blades throw the air.
The D.C. fans are of D.C. series motors in which the rotating part i.e. armature is connected in series with the stationary part i.e. field coils.
When the current is given to the motor, the magnetic field is set up in the field windings which experiences a force in the armature tending to move it at right angle to the field and the blades attached with the shaft of the armature displace the air.
The same principle applies to the A.C. fan but there is some difference in the construction of A.C. fans than D.C.
The rotating part of the A.C. fan is called as rotor and the stationary part of the A.C. fan is called as stator.
In the case of A.C. fans, mainly two types of single phase motors are used i.e. shaded pole type motors and capacitor run motors.
These all types of motors work on the principle of induction type motors.
In the case of A.C/D.C. fans, the universal motors are used in which the wound armature and field winding are connected in series which work on the principle of an electric motor as described before.