Abstract: A motor driving apparatus for driving a single-phase motor includes an inverter disposed between a battery and the single-phase motor, the inverter applying a first voltage to the single-phase motor at startup and applying a second voltage to the single-phase motor during a normal operation. A stop time period is present after application of the first voltage, application of the first voltage being stopped during the stop time period, and the inverter applies the second voltage after a lapse of the stop time period.

Abstract: In a motor driving apparatus having an inverter which can drive n (n being an integer not smaller than 2) motors each having a permanent magnet in its rotor, and a connection switching device for switching the connection state of the n motors, the connection switching device is operated to change the number of the motors connected to the inverter thereby to change the impedance as seen from the inverter towards the motors. When i (i being any of 2 to n) motors among the n motors are concurrently driven by the inverter, the voltage outputted by the inverter may be controlled such that the inductance values of the i motors are identical. It is possible to prevent hunting and step-out due to the phase difference between the motors driven by the inverter.

Abstract: A controller includes: a connection switch that switches a connection state of a winding of a synchronous motor during a rotating operation of the synchronous motor; a current detector that detects a rotary machine current flowing in the synchronous motor; a position/speed estimator that estimates a magnetic pole position and speed of a rotor; a voltage applicator that applies a voltage to the synchronous motor; and a control circuitry that generates a voltage command given to the voltage applicator on the basis of the magnetic pole position and the speed, and outputs a switching operation command for switching the connection state to the connection switch. The control circuitry generates the voltage command to bring the rotary machine current close to zero before the connection state of the winding is switched.

Abstract: A heat pump apparatus includes: a compressor including a motor; an inverter that applies a desired voltage to the motor; a current detector that detects current flowing to the motor; a drive-signal generation unit that generates a drive signal for the inverter; a magnetic-pole position estimation unit that changes a voltage phase of a voltage command value for a high-frequency voltage, and estimates a maximum-heat-amount acquisition magnetic-pole position when the generation unit applies the high-frequency voltage to the motor to heat the compressor; a steady heating control unit that determines an amplitude and voltage phase of the voltage command value from the maximum-heat-amount acquisition magnetic-pole position and a defined necessary amount of heat when the generation unit applies the high-frequency voltage to the motor to heat the compressor; and a control switching determination unit that causes one of the estimation unit and the heating control unit to operate.

Abstract: A refrigerating cycle device includes a compressor, a motor, and a wiring switch part. The compressor compresses a refrigerant. The motor generates power for compressing the refrigerant by rotating a rotor with voltage applied to a plurality of wirings. The motor is disposed in the compressor. The wiring switch part switches between a plurality of wiring states by changing connection between the plurality of wirings. When a rotational speed of the rotor exceeds a predetermined value, the wiring switch part switches to a first wiring state of the plurality of wiring states. The first wiring state differs from a second wiring state of the plurality of wiring state. Efficiency of the second wiring state is highest at the rotational speed.

Abstract: A power converting apparatus includes: a reactor including a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to an alternating-current power supply; a rectifier circuit connected to the second end of the reactor and including at least one switching element, the rectifier circuit converting an alternating-current voltage output from the alternating-current power supply into a direct-current voltage; and a detecting unit that detects a physical quantity indicating an operation state of the rectifier circuit, wherein the number of times of switching of the switching element is changed depending on the operation of the rectifier circuit.

Abstract: The power conversion apparatus includes a converter circuit that converts an alternating-current voltage output from an alternating-current power supply into a direct-current voltage. The converter circuit includes unit converters. The power conversion apparatus includes current detectors that detect respective currents flowing through respective reactors. In first and second unit converters adjacent to each other among the unit converters, a phase difference between a first phase and a second phase is changed from a reference phase difference when a total current of currents detected by the respective current detectors is greater than a threshold. The first phase is a phase at a time when the switching element of the first unit converter is turned on. The second phase is a phase at a time when the switching element of the second unit converter is turned on.

Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes a converter circuit converting AC voltage output from an AC power supply into DC voltage. The converter circuit includes unit converters. The power conversion apparatus includes a low current-oriented controller the unit converters to cause current corresponding to a single phase to flow through a current detector, and a high current-oriented controller controlling operation of the unit converters based on a result of comparison between a duty command and a carrier signal, where the duty command is generated based on detection values detected by the current detector and a voltage detector. When the detection value detected by the current detector is less than or equal to a first threshold, the low current-oriented controller is activated, and when the detection value detected by the current detector is greater than the first threshold, the high current-oriented controller is activated.

Abstract: An outdoor unit includes at least one heat exchanger, a first motor including a first fan, a second motor including a second fan, an inverter that applies voltage to the first motor and the second for respectively, a connection switching unit that switches the voltage applied to the second motor between on and off, and a control unit that controls the inverter and the connection switching unit. The inverter is disposed closer to the first motor than to the second motor.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit including a compressor that compresses a refrigerant and a motor drive system that drives the compressor. The motor drive system includes an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and an electric motor including three stator windings with both ends open. The electric motor operates based on the AC voltage obtained by the inverter. The motor drive system further includes a connection state switching unit that has a function to change the connection state of the three stator windings included in the electric motor, and sets the connection state to a star connection at the start of operation of the air-conditioning apparatus.

Abstract: An air conditioner has a power conversion device including: a reactor having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to an AC power supply; a rectifier circuit that is connected to the second end of the reactor and includes a diode and at least one or more switching elements, the rectifier circuit converting an AC voltage outputted from the AC power supply into a DC voltage; and a detection unit detecting a physical quantity indicating an operation state of the rectifier circuit. Switching is made between control for a current from the AC power supply to be applied to the diode or control for the current to be applied to the switching element in accordance with an operating mode of the air conditioner.

Abstract: An electric motor drive device includes: a wire connection switching unit; an inverter; a control device controlling the wire connection switching unit and the inverter; and an overcurrent protection circuit preventing current exceeding a predetermined value from continuously flowing through the electric motor. The overcurrent protection circuit includes: determination circuits each correlated one-to-one with any one of possible wire connection states of a stator winding and determining whether current flowing through the inverter is abnormal; a combining circuit combining determination results; and an invalidation circuit invalidating a determination process by one or more of the determination circuits, and causing the combining circuit to output a determination result by the determination circuit correlated with a selected wire connection state of the stator winding.

Abstract: A motor drive apparatus includes a reactor, a converter connected to an alternating current power supply via the reactor, a smoothing capacitor connected between output terminals of the converter, and an inverter that converts a direct current voltage output from the smoothing capacitor into an alternating current voltage to be applied to a motor and outputs the alternating current voltage. The motor drive apparatus includes a plurality of operation modes for controlling conduction of switching elements of the converter and causing the converter to operate in different modes of operation, and changes operation of at least one of the switching elements of the converter and the inverter according to the operation mode when a bus voltage indicates an excessive value.

Abstract: A direct current power supply device includes: a reactor; a converter connected to an alternating current power supply via the reactor; a smoothing capacitor connected between output terminals of the converter; an inrush current preventing circuit disposed on a charging path from the alternating current power supply to the smoothing capacitor; a current detection unit detecting direct current representing an operating state on an output side of the converter; a current detection unit detecting power supply current representing an operating state on an input side of the converter; and a control unit receiving the direct current and the power supply current and controlling an operation of the converter. The control unit receives a detected value of saturated current from at least one of the direct current and the power supply current when the power supply voltage recovers from a state in which the power supply voltage is reduced.

Abstract: A motor driving apparatus for driving a motor, the apparatus being connected to the motor by first, second, and third connection lines respectively corresponding to first, second, and third phases, the apparatus including: an inverter converting direct-current voltage into three-phase alternating-current voltage by using first, second, and third switching element pairs respectively connected to the first, second, and third connection lines, and outputting the three-phase alternating-current voltage to the motor; a voltage detection circuit detecting a first voltage based on a potential difference between a potential of the first connection line and a reference potential; and a control unit calculating a voltage value of the direct-current voltage based on the first voltage during a first period in which an upper-arm switching element of the first switching element pair is on, controlling operation of the inverter according to the voltage value, and changing the first period according to the voltage value.

Abstract: The motor driving apparatus includes a switch that is a mechanical switch for changing coil connection states of a motor; an inverter that generates alternating voltage from direct voltage and outputs the alternating voltage to the motor; and a control device that controls the switch and the inverter. The control device causes the switch to change the coil connection states while the alternating voltage output from the inverter is zero.

Abstract: A motor driving apparatus for driving a single-phase motor includes an inverter disposed between a battery and the single-phase motor, the inverter applying a first voltage to the single-phase motor at startup and applying a second voltage to the single-phase motor during a normal operation. A stop time period is present after application of the first voltage, application of the first voltage being stopped during the stop time period, and the inverter applies the second voltage after a lapse of the stop time period.

Abstract: A motor drive device includes a single-phase inverter that converts a direct-current voltage output from a power supply which is a battery, into an alternating-current voltage. The inverter outputs the alternating-current voltage as an applied voltage to be applied to a motor. The applied voltage is lower when the direct-current voltage is a second voltage lower than a first voltage than when the direct-current voltage is the first voltage. Consequently, a discharge current of the battery is reduced, and the motor drive device capable of reducing an increase in battery temperature can be obtained.

Abstract: Prior to starting of first and second synchronous motors, direct-current excitation is performed to pull in rotors of the synchronous motors to a designated position. In the direct-current excitation, a difference between a value of a direct current flowing through the first synchronous motor and a value of a direct current flowing through the second synchronous motor is reduced. For example, d-axis currents and q-axis currents corresponding to three-phase currents flowing through the motors are determined; a d-axis voltage command value for making one of the d-axis currents larger in absolute value equal to a d-axis current command value is determined, and a q-axis voltage command value for making one of the q-axis currents larger in absolute value equal to a q-axis current command value is determined; an inverter is driven using the determined d-axis voltage command value and q-axis voltage command value.

Abstract: An inverter for driving a motor that has a switchable connection of windings and drives a load element having a periodically varying load torque is provided. The inverter is controlled so that an output torque of the motor follows the periodic variation of the load torque. The inverter is controlled so that a current flowing through the motor is zero during a period including a minimum torque phase at which the load torque is at or near a minimum value. The connection is switched while the current flowing through the motor is zero. It is possible to switch the connection of the windings while the motor is rotating, and avoid an increase in apparatus size.