KR20160019687A - Power factor compensation apparatus and Air conditioner comprising the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a current sensing unit connected between an AC power supply unit and a circuit to sense an instantaneous current supplied to the circuit; a voltage sensing unit connected between the AC power supply unit and the converter, And a controller for determining whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on the current sensed by the current sensing unit and the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a power factor correction apparatus and an air conditioner including the same,

The present invention relates to a power factor correcting device and an air conditioner including the same, and more particularly, to a power factor correcting device for determining a power factor by sensing an instantaneous current and an instantaneous current of a circuit, The present invention relates to an air conditioner.

The air conditioner is installed to provide a comfortable indoor environment for humans by discharging cold air to the room to adjust the room temperature and purify the room air to create a pleasant indoor environment. Generally, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit which is constituted by a heat exchanger and installed in a room, and an outdoor unit which is constituted by a compressor, a heat exchanger and the like and supplies the refrigerant to the indoor unit.

Such an air conditioner is controlled separately by an indoor unit constituted by a heat exchanger, an outdoor unit constituted by a compressor, a heat exchanger and the like, and controlled by a power source supplied to a compressor or a heat exchanger. Also, at least one indoor unit may be connected to the outdoor unit, and the air conditioner is operated in the cooling or heating mode by supplying the refrigerant to the indoor unit according to the requested operation state.

When the liquid refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure is supplied from the compressor of the outdoor unit to the indoor unit through the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit during the cooling operation, the refrigerant expands and vaporizes in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit, When the temperature of the air is lowered and the indoor fan is rotated, the cool air is discharged into the room. When the gas refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure is supplied from the compressor of the outdoor unit to the indoor unit during the heating operation, the gas refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure is liquefied in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit The air warmed by the released energy is discharged to the room according to the operation of the indoor fan.

On the other hand, existing air conditioners include converters. Converters typically use large capacitors to smoothen the rectified power supply. The power factor of the air conditioner becomes the true power factor by such a large capacity capacitor. In the case of the true power factor, there is a problem in that the utilization ratio of the electric equipment is deteriorated and loss is generated. In addition, there is a problem that, in case of imposing electric charge,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a power factor correcting device for detecting an instantaneous current and an instantaneous current of a circuit to determine a power factor and compensating the power factor according to the determined power factor and an air conditioner including the same. The problems of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power factor correction apparatus including a current sensing unit connected between an AC power supply unit and a circuit to sense an instantaneous current supplied to the circuit, And a control unit for determining whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on a current sensed by the current sensing unit and a voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit do.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

The embodiment of the present invention has the following effects.

First, there is an effect that it is possible to easily determine whether the current power factor is a true phase, a ground, or a current voltage in a predetermined circuit.

Second, there is an effect that the power factor compensation can be performed corresponding to the power factor of the circuit.

Third, according to the adaptive power factor compensation, the electric charge can be reduced when the home electric appliance including the power factor correction device is used.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a schematic view of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit of FIG.
3 is a block diagram of a power factor correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a circuit diagram of an air conditioner including a power factor correction device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram referred to explain the operation of determining the true phase power factor according to the embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart referred to explain the operation of the power factor correction device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram referred to explain a power factor correction device installed in an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention, and the manner of achieving them, will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

The suffix "module" and "part" for constituent elements used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

In the present specification, the names of the components are denoted by the first, second, and so on in order to distinguish the names of the components from each other in the same relationship, and are not necessarily limited to the order in the following description.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1, an air conditioner 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one indoor unit 31 to 35, at least one outdoor unit 21 and 22 connected to the indoor units 31 to 35, Remote controllers 100a through 100e connected to the respective indoor units, and a controller 10 controlling the indoor units and the outdoor units.

The controller 10 can be connected to a plurality of indoor units 31 to 36 and a plurality of outdoor units 21 and 22 to monitor and control the operation thereof. At this time, the controller 10 may be connected to a plurality of indoor units to perform operation setting, lock setting, schedule control, and group control for the indoor units.

On the other hand, the controller 10 can control the outdoor units 21 and 22 and the indoor units 31 to 36 based on the sensed data (for example, temperature, humidity, . For example, the operation of the outdoor units 21 and 22 and the indoor units 31 to 36 can be controlled based on the temperature sensing data received from the sensor, compared with a predetermined temperature. For example, the operation of the outdoor units (21, 22) and the indoor units (31 to 36) can be controlled so that the dehumidifying function is operated in comparison with the predetermined humidity based on the humidity sensing data received from the sensor. For example, it is possible to control the operation of each of the indoor units 31 to 36 on or off based on the occupant detection data received from the sensor.

The air conditioner may be any of a stand-type air conditioner, a wall-mounted air conditioner, and a ceiling-type air conditioner, but a ceiling-type air conditioner will be described as an example for convenience of explanation. Also, the air conditioner may further include at least one of a ventilator, an air purifier, a humidifier, and a high-temperature unit, and may operate in conjunction with the operation of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

The outdoor units 21 and 22 include a compressor for receiving and compressing refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air, an accumulator for extracting the gas refrigerant from the supplied refrigerant and supplying the gas refrigerant to the compressor, And a four-way valve. In addition, a number of sensors, valves, oil recovery devices, and the like are further included, but a description thereof will be omitted below.

The outdoor units (21, 22) operate the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger to compress or heat-exchange the refrigerant according to the setting, and supply the refrigerant to the indoor units (31 to 35). The outdoor units 21 and 22 are driven by the request of the controller 10 or the indoor units 31 to 35. The number of operation of the outdoor units and the operation of the compressors installed in the outdoor units The number is variable.

At this time, the outdoor units (21, 22) are explained on the basis that the plurality of outdoor units supply the refrigerant to the indoor units connected to the indoor units, respectively. However, according to the connection structure of the outdoor units and the indoor units, .

The indoor units 31 to 35 are connected to any one of the plurality of outdoor units 21 and 22 to receive the refrigerant and discharge cold or hot air to the room. The indoor units 31 to 35 include an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), an indoor fan (not shown), an expansion valve (not shown) in which the refrigerant to be supplied is expanded, and a plurality of sensors (not shown).

At this time, the outdoor units 21 and 22 and the indoor units 31 to 35 are connected to each other via a communication line to transmit and receive data, and the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected to the controller 10 by a separate communication line, do.

The remote controllers 100a to 100e are connected to the indoor units, respectively. The remote controllers 100a to 100e can input control commands of the user to the indoor units and receive and display status information of the indoor units. At this time, the remote controller communicates wired or wirelessly according to the connection form with the indoor unit, and in some cases, one remote controller is connected to the plurality of indoor units, and the settings of the plurality of indoor units can be changed through one remote control input.

2 is a schematic view of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit of FIG.

Referring to the drawings, the air conditioner 50 is roughly divided into an indoor unit 31 and an outdoor unit 21.

The outdoor unit 21 includes a compressor 102 for compressing the refrigerant, a compressor 102b for driving the compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger 104 serving to dissipate the compressed refrigerant, An outdoor fan 105 which is disposed at one side of the heat exchanger 104 and includes an outdoor fan 105a for accelerating the heat radiation of the refrigerant and an electric motor 105b for rotating the outdoor fan 105a and an outdoor fan 105 for expanding the condensed refrigerant An accumulator 103 for temporarily storing the gasified refrigerant to remove moisture and foreign substances, and then supplying a refrigerant with a predetermined pressure to the compressor, a compressor 106 for compressing the refrigerant, a cooling / heating switching valve 110 for changing the flow path of the compressed refrigerant, And the like.

The indoor unit 31 includes an indoor heat exchanger 108 disposed inside the room and performing a cooling / heating function, an indoor fan 109a disposed at one side of the indoor heat exchanger 108 for promoting heat radiation of the refrigerant, And an indoor air blower 109 composed of an electric motor 109b for rotating the fan 109a.

At least one indoor heat exchanger 108 may be installed. At least one of an inverter compressor and a constant speed compressor may be used as the compressor 102. [

Further, the air conditioner 50 may be constituted by a cooling unit that cools the room, or a heat pump that cools or heats the room.

2, the indoor unit 31 and the outdoor unit 21 are shown as one unit. However, the driving unit of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, The present invention is also applicable to an air conditioner, an air conditioner having one indoor unit and a plurality of outdoor units.

3 is a block diagram of a power factor correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3, a power factor correction apparatus 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a current sensing unit 210, a voltage sensing unit 220, a memory 230, a display unit 240, a switch 250, One reactor 260, and a processor 270. Although the power factor correction device 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention is described herein as being included in the air conditioner 50, the present invention is not limited thereto. The power factor correction device according to the embodiment of the present invention may be included in other home appliances such as a refrigerator, a washing machine, and the like.

The current sensing unit 210 is connected between the AC power supply unit and the circuit, and senses an instantaneous current supplied in the circuit. At this time, the power supplied from the AC power supply unit may be a single-phase or three-phase commercial power. When the power supplied from the AC power supply unit is a three-phase commercial power supply, the current sensing unit 210 can sense phase currents or line currents of respective phases. The current sensing part 210 may be located between the AC power supply part and the filter part, but is not limited thereto. Here, the circuit includes a compressor (102 in Fig. 2), a compressor (102b in Fig. 2) included in the air conditioner 50, an inverter for converting a DC power source to an AC power source for driving a compressor motor, And a filter unit for removing noise from the AC power supply. Meanwhile, the current sensing unit 210 may use a known technique for sensing an instantaneous current in a circuit. For example, the current sensing unit 210 may include a current sensor, a current transformer (CT), a shunt resistor, and the like. Meanwhile, the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 may be input to the controller 270 in the form of a first sine wave.

The voltage sensing unit 220 is connected between the AC power supply unit and the circuit, and senses the instantaneous voltage supplied to the circuit. At this time, the power supplied from the AC power supply unit may be a single-phase or three-phase commercial power. When the power supplied from the AC power supply unit is a three-phase commercial power supply, the voltage sensing unit 220 can sense the phase voltage or line voltage of each phase. The voltage sensing unit 220 may be located between the AC power supply unit and the filter unit, but is not limited thereto. Here, the circuit includes a compressor (102 in Fig. 2), a compressor (102b in Fig. 2) included in the air conditioner 50, an inverter for converting a DC power source to an AC power source for driving a compressor motor, And a filter unit for removing noise from the AC power supply. Meanwhile, the voltage sensing unit 220 may use a known technique for sensing the instantaneous voltage in the circuit. For example, the voltage sensing unit 220 may include a resistive element, an amplifier, and the like. Meanwhile, the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220 may be input to the controller 270 in the form of a second sine wave.

The memory 230 is electrically connected to the controller 270. The memory 230 may store basic data for the unit, control data for controlling the operation of the unit, and input / output data. The memory 230 may be various storage devices such as ROM, RAM, EPROM, flash drive, hard drive, and the like. The memory 230 may store the current value data sensed by the current sensing unit 210 and the voltage value data sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220.

The display unit 240 displays the result of power factor determination of the circuit determined by the controller 270 so that the user can recognize the result. For example, the display unit 240 includes a predetermined display, and through the display, a result of the power factor judgment can be displayed so that the user can visually confirm it. As another example, the display unit 240 may include a predetermined sound generator, and the sound generator may display a result of the power factor determination so that the user can visually confirm the sound power.

The switch 250 may be connected between the circuit and the reactor. The switch 250 operates under the control of the controller 270. For example, the control unit 270 may transmit a control signal such that the switch 250 is switched off when the power factor of the circuit is not a true power factor. In this case, the switch 250 is switched off. In another example, the control unit 270 may transmit a control signal so that the switch 250 is switched on when the power factor of the circuit is the true power factor. In this case, the switch 250 is turned on.

Reactor 260 is coupled to the circuit to compensate for the power factor of the circuit if the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor. Reactor 260 may be an element having a predetermined inductive reactance. According to an embodiment, the power factor correction device 200 may include a plurality of reactors 260. For example, in a circuit that is powered by a three-phase AC power source, a reactor 260 may be connected on each. The reactor 260, on the other hand, may be a variable reactor that is variable depending on the magnitude of the power factor of the circuit. On the other hand, in the present specification, a variable reactor can use a known technique.

The control unit 270 determines whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 and the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220. Here, the circuit includes a compressor (102 in Fig. 2), a compressor (102b in Fig. 2) included in the air conditioner 50, an inverter for converting a DC power source to an AC power source for driving a compressor motor, And a filter unit for removing noise from the AC power supply. For example, when power is supplied to the circuit by a three-phase AC power source, the power factor of the circuit by the capacitor included in the filter section for noise reduction may be a true power factor. In this case, the controller 270 may determine whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 and the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220.

Meanwhile, the control unit 270 may receive a change in the instantaneous current according to the time sensed by the current sensing unit 210 as the first sinusoidal wave. In addition, the controller 270 can receive a change in the instantaneous voltage according to the time sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220 by the second sinusoidal wave. At this time, the controller 180 may compare the first sine wave and the second sine wave in the same time zone to determine whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor. For example, when the instantaneous voltage in the second sinusoidal wave is converted from negative to positive, the controller 270 determines whether the first sinusoidal wave has a positive value at a time point of 0, Can be determined.

Meanwhile, the controller 270 may calculate the power factor magnitude of the circuit. If the reactor 260 is a variable reactor, the controller 270 may control the variable reactor to have a reactance of an appropriate magnitude for the power factor correction of the circuit.

On the other hand, the control unit 270 can control the switch 250. If the power factor of the circuit is not the true power factor, the controller 270 can control the switch 250 to be switched off. When the power factor of the circuit is the true power factor, the controller 270 can control the switch 250 to be turned on.

4 is a circuit diagram of a motor for a compressor including a power factor correction device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the compressor motor 102b (FIG. 2) may include an AC power supply unit 150, a filter unit 320, and a load unit 330.

The AC power supply unit 150 may be a single-phase or three-phase commercial AC power source. In this drawing, three-phase commercial AC power is shown.

The filter unit 320 is disposed between the AC power supply unit 150 and the load unit 330 and serves to remove noise components from the AC power supply unit 150. To this end, the filter unit 150 may include a plurality of capacitors. On the other hand, due to the plurality of capacitors included in the filter unit 320, the power factor of the entire circuit can be a real power factor. In this case, there is a problem that the utilization rate of the electric facilities is deteriorated and loss is generated. In addition, there is a problem that, in case of imposing electric charge, When the power factor correcting device 200 is included, the utilization factor of the electric equipments becomes good according to the power factor compensation, and it is advantageous when the electric rate is charged.

The load unit 330 may include a converter (not shown), a smoothing capacitor (not shown), an inverter (not shown), and a motor (not shown).

A converter (not shown) converts commercial AC power into DC power and outputs it. Commercial AC power may be single-phase AC power or three-phase AC power. The internal structure of the converter (not shown) changes depending on the type of the commercial AC power source. For example, in the case of a single-phase AC power source, a half-bridge type converter in which two switching elements and four diodes are connected may be used, and in the case of a three-phase AC power source, six switching elements and six diodes may be used. The converter (not shown) includes a plurality of switching elements, and performs a boosting operation, a power factor correction, and a DC power conversion by a switching operation.

A smoothing capacitor (not shown) is connected to the output of the converter (not shown). The converted DC power outputted from the converter (not shown) is smoothed. Hereinafter, the output terminal of the converter (not shown) is referred to as a dc stage or a dc link stage. At the dc stage, a smoothed direct current voltage is applied to the inverter (not shown).

The inverter (not shown) has a plurality of switching elements for inverter, and converts the smoothed DC power to a three-phase AC power having a predetermined frequency by on / off operation of the switching element and outputs the converted AC power. Specifically, the upper and lower arm switching elements connected in series to each other are paired, and a total of three pairs of upper and lower arm switching elements are connected in parallel with each other. The three-phase AC power outputted from the inverter (not shown) is applied to each phase (u, v, w) of the three-phase motor (not shown). Here, a three-phase motor (not shown) has a stator and a rotor, and alternating current power of a predetermined frequency is applied to a coil of each stator, so that the rotor rotates. Various types of three-phase motors (not shown) can be used, such as BLDC motors and synRM motors.

The compressor motor (102b in FIG. 2) may further include the power factor correction device 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the power factor correction apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be removable as needed.

At least one reactor 260 may be connected in parallel between the AC power input unit 150 and the filter unit 320. A plurality of reactors 260 may be connected depending on the type of the commercial AC power source. For example, when the AC power input unit 150 is a three-phase AC power source, three reactors 260 may be connected to each phase.

A fuse 310 may be connected to the front end of the reactor 260. The fuse 310 serves to prevent an excessive current exceeding a specified value from flowing to the electric wire.

5 is a diagram referred to explain the operation of determining the true phase power factor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

5, A is a graph showing the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210, and B is a graph showing a voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220. Referring to FIG. As described above, the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 may be in the form of a first sine wave (A). Also, the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220 may be in the form of a second sine wave (B).

As shown in FIG. 5A, when the first sine wave A precedes the second sine wave B in time, the controller 270 can determine the power factor of the circuit as a true phase. Specifically, when the voltage of the second sine wave B changes from negative to positive, the first sine wave A has a value of at a time t1. In this case, the controller 270 can determine the power factor of the circuit as a true phase.

As shown in FIG. 5B, when the first sine wave A lags behind the second sine wave B in time, the controller 270 can determine the power factor of the circuit to the ground. Specifically, when the voltage of the second sine wave B changes from negative to positive, the first sine wave A has a negative value at a time t1 when the voltage becomes zero. In this case, the controller 270 can determine the power factor of the circuit to be ground level.

As shown in FIG. 5C, when the first sine wave A coincides in time with the second sine wave B, the controller 270 can determine the current and the voltage in the circuit in phase in the circuit .

6 is a flowchart referred to explain the operation of the power factor correction device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the circuit will be described. The circuit includes a compressor (102 in Fig. 2) included in the air conditioner 50, a compressor motor 102b (Fig. 2), an inverter for converting a DC power source to an AC power source for driving the compressor motor, A converter that converts the power supply to a DC power supply, and a filter unit that removes noise from the AC power supply.

Referring to FIG. 6, the current sensing unit 210 is connected between the AC power supply unit and the circuit, and senses the instantaneous current supplied to the circuit (S610). The current sensing unit 210 may include a current sensor, a current transformer (CT), a shunt resistor, and the like for current sensing. The current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 may be input to the controller 270 in the form of a first sine wave.

The voltage sensing unit 220 is connected between the AC power supply unit and the circuit, and senses the instantaneous voltage supplied in the circuit (S620). The voltage sensing unit 220 may include a resistance element, an amplifier, and the like for voltage sensing. The voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220 may be input to the controller 270 in the form of a second sine wave.

In this embodiment, step S610 is followed by step S620. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the current sensing operation may be performed after the voltage sensing operation is performed first.

The control unit 270 determines whether the power factor of the circuit is a real power factor based on the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 and the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220 at operation S630.

For example, when power is supplied to the circuit by a three-phase AC power source, the power factor of the circuit by the capacitor included in the filter section for noise reduction may be a true power factor. In this case, the controller 270 may determine whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on the current sensed by the current sensing unit 210 and the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220.

Meanwhile, the control unit 270 may receive a change in the instantaneous current according to the time sensed by the current sensing unit 210 as the first sinusoidal wave. In addition, the controller 270 can receive a change in the instantaneous voltage according to the time sensed by the voltage sensing unit 220 by the second sinusoidal wave. At this time, the controller 180 may compare the first sine wave and the second sine wave in the same time zone to determine whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor. For example, when the instantaneous voltage in the second sinusoidal wave is converted from negative to positive, the controller 270 determines whether the first sinusoidal wave has a positive value at a time point of 0, Can be determined.

If the power factor of the circuit is the true power factor, the controller 270 controls the switch 250 to be switched on (S640). In this case, the control unit 270 can calculate the power factor magnitude of the circuit. If the reactor 260 is a variable reactor, the controller 270 controls the variable reactor to have a reactance of an appropriate magnitude for the power factor correction of the circuit (S650). Here, the reactor 260 is connected to the circuit to compensate the power factor of the circuit when the power factor of the circuit is the true power factor. Reactor 260 may be an element having a predetermined inductive reactance. According to an embodiment, the power factor correction device 200 may include a plurality of reactors 260. For example, in a circuit that is powered by a three-phase AC power source, a reactor 260 may be connected on each. The reactor 260, on the other hand, may be a variable reactor that is variable depending on the magnitude of the power factor of the circuit. On the other hand, in the present specification, a variable reactor can use a known technique.

On the other hand, the controller 270 displays the result of power factor determination of the determined circuit through the display unit so that the user can recognize it (S660). Here, the display unit 240 includes a predetermined display, and through the display, a result of the power factor determination can be displayed so that the user can visually confirm it. Alternatively, the display unit 240 may include a predetermined sound generating device, and the result of the power factor determination may be displayed through the sound generating device so that the user can visually confirm the sound.

If the power factor of the circuit is not the true power factor in step S630, the controller 270 controls the switch 250 to be turned off (S670).

FIG. 7 is a diagram referred to explain a power factor correction device installed in an outdoor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, the power factor correction apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be detachably attached to the outdoor unit 21. For example, it is possible to fix the power factor correction device 200 using a predetermined hole provided in the side panel of the outdoor unit 21. At this time, the hole may be provided in the manufacture of an outdoor unit, or a user may separately drill a hole to install the power factor correction device 200. At this time, the diameter of the hole is preferably 3.2 pi.

In the state where the power factor correction device 200 is fixed to the side panel, the respective lines of the power factor correction device 200 can be connected to the main power line of the outdoor unit 21 in three-phase order.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It should be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

50: Air conditioner
150: AC power supply
200: Power Factor Correction Device
210:
220:
230: Memory
240:
250: Switch
260: Reactor
270:
310: Fuse
320:
330: Load section

Claims (9)

A current sensing unit connected between the AC power supply unit and the circuit to sense an instantaneous current supplied to the circuit;
A voltage sensing unit connected between the AC power supply unit and the converter to sense an instantaneous voltage supplied to the circuit; And
And a controller for determining whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on the current sensed by the current sensing unit and the voltage sensed by the voltage sensing unit. The method according to claim 1,
And a display unit for displaying a result of power factor judgment of the circuit determined by the control unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the change of the instantaneous current according to the time sensed by the current sensing unit is in the form of a first sine wave,
Wherein the change in the instantaneous voltage according to the time sensed by the voltage sensing unit is in the form of a second sine wave,
Wherein the controller compares the first sine wave and the second sine wave in the same time zone to determine whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor. The method of claim 3,
Wherein,
Wherein when the instantaneous voltage in the second sinusoidal wave changes from a negative to a positive value, whether the first sinusoidal wave has a positive value at a time point of zero or not is determined as a true power factor. The method according to claim 1,
And at least one reactor coupled to the circuit to compensate for the power factor of the circuit if the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the reactor is a variable reactor that is variable according to the magnitude of the power factor of the circuit,
Wherein the controller controls the reactor to have a reactance of a magnitude appropriate to compensate the power factor of the circuit. 6. The method of claim 5,
Further comprising a switch coupled to said circuit and said reactor,
Wherein the controller switches the switch to off when the power factor of the circuit is not a true power factor. An air conditioner comprising the power factor correction device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Sensing an instantaneous current supplied to the circuit by a current sensing unit connected between the ac power supply and the circuit;
Sensing an instantaneous voltage supplied to the circuit by a voltage sensing unit connected between the AC power supply and the circuit;
Determining whether the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor based on the sensed current and the sensed voltage; And
And connecting at least one reactor connected to the circuit to compensate the power factor of the circuit if the power factor of the circuit is a true power factor.

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