Air conditioning apparatus

• US 5,088,297 A
• Filed: 09/25/1990
• Issued: 02/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Takashi, Maruyama, Hiroshi, Taniguchi, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/587,740
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 62/228.4, 62/227, 417/45, 318/811
• US Class Current: 62/228.4
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/021 Inverters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/08 Controlling based on slip frequency, e.g. adding slip frequency and speed proportional frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An air conditioning apparatus using a refrigerating cycle in which a scroll compressor is used to compress a refrigerant. The scroll compressor is driven by an induction motor. The speed of the induction motor is controlled by a PWM type inverter which produces an AC voltage of variable frequency. A carrier frequency higher than 10 KHz is used to effect pulse width modulation of the AC voltage of the inverter, whereby generation of uncomfortable noise is avoided. A control unit is provided to detect slip of the induction motor and to adjust the detached slip to a predetermined optimum value, thereby avoiding excessive lowering of the speed of the motor which may cause lack of lubricating oil for the compressor.

Claims

1. An air conditioning apparatus, comprising:

a scroll compressor for compressing a refrigerant to effect a refrigerating cycle;

an induction motor for driving said scroll compressor; and

an inverter for feeding an AC voltage of variable operating frequency to said induction motor, said inverter including a voltage pulse-width modulating circuit for pulse-width modulating the AC voltage by a carrier frequency higher than 10 KHz, and control means for detecting the slip of said induction motor and correcting the detected slip to a predetermined optimum value.

2. An air conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for correcting the slip when the operating frequency of said inverter is at or near a minimum operating frequency.