Method for controlling motor of air conditioner and motor controller of the same

• US 8,234,879 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, Sun Ho, Choung, Sug Mun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler, Cheryl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Paolo
• Application Number:
  US12/289,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 621/26, 621/27, 622/281, 622/284, 622/285, 622/30, 417/2, 417/12, 417/13, 417/18, 417/42, 417/44.11, 417/45, 417/53
• US Class Current: 62/228.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/11 Fan speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/173 of the evaporator fan
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/025 Motor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A motor controlling method and apparatus of an air conditioner are disclosed. It is checked whether or not an operation frequency of a compressor motor is the same as or greater than a certain frequency and it is also checked whether or not a detected velocity of a fan motor is the same as or lower than a certain velocity during a certain time period. If the operation frequency is the same as or greater than the certain frequency and the detected velocity is the same as or lower than the certain velocity during a certain time period, the compressor motor is temporarily stopped. Because the compressor motor operates according to operational conditions of the fan motor, an overload can be prevented.

Claims

1. A motor controlling method of an air conditioner, comprising:

estimating a velocity based on an output current flowing in a compressor motor;

generating a current command value based on the estimated velocity and a velocity command value;

generating a voltage command value based on the current command value and the output current; and

generating a compressor inverter switching control signal based on the voltage command value;

determining whether or not an operating frequency of the compressor motor is the same as or greater than a predetermined frequency;

determining whether or not a detected velocity of an outdoor fan motor is the same as or lower than a predetermined velocity during a first time period; and

temporarily stopping the compressor motor if the operating frequency is the same as or greater than the predetermined frequency and the detected velocity is lower than the predetermined velocity during the first time period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

counting a number of times of temporarily stopping the compressor motor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

re-starting the compressor motor;

determining whether or not the counted number is the same as or greater than a predetermined number during a second time period; and

completely stopping the compressor motor if the counted number is the same as or greater than the predetermined number during the second time period.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying an error on an error display unit if the compressor motor is completely stopped.

5. A motor controlling apparatus of an air conditioner, comprising:

a compressor inverter that drives a compressor motor;

a fan inverter that drives an outdoor fan motor;

a velocity detecting unit that detects the velocity of the fan motor; and

a controller that temporarily stops the compressor motor if an operating frequency of the compressor motor is the same as or greater than a predetermined frequency and the detected velocity of the fan motor is lower than a predetermined velocity during a first time period,

wherein the controller comprises

an estimating unit to estimate a velocity based on an output current flowing in the compressor motor;

a current command generating unit to generate a current command value based on the estimated velocity and a velocity command value;

a voltage command generating unit to generate a voltage command value based on the current command value and the output current; and

a switching control signal output unit to generate a compressor inverter switching control signal based on the voltage command value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller comprises:

a first determining unit that determines whether or not the operating frequency of the compressor motor is the same as or greater than a predetermined frequency;

a second determining unit that determines whether or not the detected velocity of the fan motor is the same as or lower than a predetermined velocity during a first time period; and

a stop determining unit that outputs a pause signal to temporarily stop the compressor motor, if the operating frequency is the same as or greater than the predetermined frequency and the detected velocity is the same as or lower than the predetermined velocity during the first time period.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller further comprises:

a counter that counts a number of times of temporarily stopping the compressor motor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller further comprises:

a third determining unit that determines whether or not the counted number is the same as or greater than a predetermined number during a second time period, and the stop determining unit outputs a complete pause signal to completely stop the compressor motor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller further comprises:

an error display unit that displays an error when the compressor motor is completely stopped.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the compressor inverter and the fan inverter.