| Apparatus for controlling operation of compressors -> Monitor Keywords |
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Apparatus for controlling operation of compressorsRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, Condition Responsive Control Of Pump Drive Motor, Plural Pumps Having Separate Drive Motors, Supply Sources, Or Delivery DestinationsApparatus for controlling operation of compressors description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060228221, Apparatus for controlling operation of compressors. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a compressor and, more particularly, to an apparatus for controlling an operation of a compressor. [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] In general, a reciprocating compressor (hereinafter, for simplicity, referred to as "reciprocating motor compressor"), which is operated by a linearly reciprocating electric motor without a crank shaft for converting a rotational motion to a linear motion, has less friction loss, and thus, can provide a higher compression efficiency than other compressors. [0005] When the reciprocating motor compressor is used for a refrigerator or an air-conditioner, a compression ratio of the compressor can be varied to control the cooling capacity by varying a stroke voltage applied to the reciprocating motor of the compressor. [0006] The conventional controlling of a reciprocating motor compressor will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. [0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an apparatus for controlling an operation of a reciprocating compressor in accordance with a conventional art. [0008] As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus for controlling an operation of the reciprocating compressor includes: a voltage detector 14 for detecting a voltage applied to a reciprocating compressor 13 as a stroke of the reciprocating compressor 13 is varied; a current detector 12 for detecting a current applied to the reciprocating compressor 13 as the stroke is varied; a microcomputer 15 for calculating a stroke based on the voltage value detected by the voltage detector 14 and the current value detected by the current detector 12, comparing the calculated stroke with a stroke reference value, and generating a switching control signal according to the comparison result; and a power supply unit 11 for supplying a stroke voltage to the reciprocating compressor 13 by controlling ON/OFF of AC power supplied to the reciprocating compressor 13 with an internal triac Tr1 according to the switching control signal generated by the microcomputer 15. Herein, the reciprocating compressor 13 varies the stroke upon receiving the stroke voltage provided to an internal motor (not shown) according to the stroke reference value previously set by a user, and reciprocally moves an internal piston (not shown). [0009] The apparatus for controlling an operation of a reciprocating compressor in accordance with the conventional art operates as follows. [0010] First, when a voltage is supplied to the internal motor according to the stroke reference value as set by the user, the reciprocating compressor 13 varies the stroke and reciprocally moves the piston. Herein, the stroke means a distance along which the piston of the reciprocating compressor 13 is reciprocally moved. [0011] The turn-on duration of the triac (Tr1) of the power supply unit 11 is lengthened by the switching control signal outputted from the microcomputer 15, and accordingly, the AC power is supplied to the reciprocating compressor 13 to drive the reciprocating compressor 13. At this time, the voltage detector 14 and the current detector 12 detect each value of the voltage and the current applied to the reciprocating compressor 13, respectively, and output the detected voltage and current values to the microcomputer 15. [0012] The microcomputer 15 calculates a stroke estimate value of the reciprocating compressor 13 based on the voltage and current values respectively detected by the voltage detector 14 and the current detector 12, compares the calculated stroke estimate value with the stroke reference value, and generates a switching control signal according to the comparison result. For example, if the calculated stroke estimate value is smaller than the stroke reference value, the microcomputer 15 outputs a switching control signal for lengthening the turn-on duration of the triac (Tr1) to the power supply unit 11 to increase the stroke voltage supplied to the reciprocating compressor 13. [0013] If, however, the calculated stroke estimate value is greater than the stroke reference value, the microcomputer 15 outputs a switching control signal for shortening the turn-on duration of the triac Tr1 to the power supply unit 11 to reduce the stroke voltage supplied to the reciprocating compressor 13. [0014] The microcomputer 15 can more accurately calculate the stroke estimate value (X) of the reciprocating compressor 13 by substituting the detected current value, the detected voltage value and a parameter of an internal motor (not shown) of the reciprocating compressor 13 to equation (1) shown below: X = 1 .alpha. .times. .intg. ( V M - Ri - Li ) .times. d t ( 1 ) wherein `R` is a motor resistance value of the reciprocating compressor, `L` is a motor inductance value of the reciprocating compressor, `.alpha.` is a motor constant of the reciprocating compressor, V.sub.M is the value of the voltage applied to the motor of the reciprocating compressor, `i` is the value of the current applied to the motor of the reciprocating compressor, and {overscore (i)} is a time variation rate of the current applied to the motor of the reciprocating compressor, namely, a differential value (di/dt) of `i`. [0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the construction of a refrigerator having two reciprocating compressors in accordance with a conventional art. [0016] As shown in FIG. 2, a reciprocating compressor is installed in both a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber of a refrigerator, to independently control a temperature of the refrigerating chamber and a temperature of the freezing chamber. However, in the conventional art, when the two reciprocating compressors are applied to the refrigerator, two apparatus for controlling an operation of the reciprocating compressors are required to control the two reciprocating compressors. This results in an increase in costs and power consumption. [0017] U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,943 issued on Nov. 11, 2003 also discloses a conventional reciprocating compressor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0018] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for controlling an operation of compressors capable of reducing costs and power consumption by controlling two reciprocating compressors by using the single apparatus. [0019] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an apparatus for controlling an operation of compressors including: a single microcomputer for calculating stroke estimate values of multiple compressors based on voltage and current values applied to the multiple compressors, and generating a plurality of switching control signals for independently controlling a voltage applied to the multiple compressors based on the calculated stroke estimate values and pre-set stroke reference values; and switching devices each installed in the multiple compressors, for independently controlling the voltage applied to the multiple compressors according to the plurality of switching control signals. [0020] To achieve the above object, there is also provided an apparatus for controlling an operation of compressors including: a first voltage detector for detecting a voltage applied to a first reciprocating compressor; a first current detector for detecting a current applied to the first reciprocating compressor; a second voltage detector for detecting a voltage applied to the second reciprocating compressor; a second current detector for detecting a current applied to the second reciprocating compressor; a single microcomputer for calculating a first stroke estimate value of the first reciprocating compressor based on the voltage value of the first voltage detector and the current value of the first current detector, comparing the first stroke estimate value with a pre-set first stroke reference value, generating a first switching control signal according to the comparison result, calculating a second stroke estimate value of the second reciprocating compressor based on the voltage value of the second voltage detector and the current value of the second current detector, comparing the second stroke estimate value with a pre-set second stroke reference value, and generating a second switching control signal according to the comparison result; a first switching device for controlling a voltage applied to the first reciprocating compressor according to a first switching control signal of the single microcomputer; and a second switching device for controlling a voltage applied to the second reciprocating compressor according to the second switching control signal of the single microcomputer. [0021] To achieve the above object, there is also provided an apparatus for controlling an operation of compressors applied to a refrigerator including: a first voltage detector for detecting a voltage applied to a first reciprocating compressor installed in a refrigerator; a first current detector for detecting a current applied to the first reciprocating compressor; a second voltage detector for detecting a voltage applied to the second reciprocating compressor installed in the refrigerator; a second current detector for detecting a current applied to the second reciprocating compressor; a single microcomputer for calculating a first stroke estimate value of the first reciprocating compressor based on the voltage value of the first voltage detector and the current value of the first current detector, comparing the first stroke estimate value with a pre-set first stroke reference value, generating a first switching control signal according to the comparison result, calculating a second stroke estimate value of the second reciprocating compressor based on the voltage value of the second voltage detector and the current value of the second current detector, comparing the second stroke estimate value with a pre-set second stroke reference value, and generating a second switching control signal according to the comparison result; a first triac for controlling a voltage applied to the first reciprocating compressor according to a first switching control signal of the single microcomputer; and a second triac for controlling a voltage applied to the second reciprocating compressor according to the second switching control signal of the single microcomputer, wherein the microcomputer outputs a first switching control signal for lengthening a turn-on period of the first triac to the first triac to increase a voltage applied to the first reciprocating compressor when the first stroke estimate value is smaller than the pre-set first stroke reference value, outputs a first switching control signal for shortening the turn-on period of the first triac to the first triac to reduce the voltage applied to the first reciprocating compressor when the first stroke estimate value is larger than the pre-set first stroke reference value, outputs a second switching control signal for lengthening a turn-on period of the second triac to the second triac to increase a voltage applied to the second reciprocating compressor when the second stroke estimate value is smaller than the pre-set second stroke reference value, and outputs a second switching control signal for shortening the turn-on period of the second triac to the second triac to reduce the voltage applied to the second reciprocating compressor when the second stroke estimate value is larger than the pre-set second stroke reference value. [0022] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Continue reading about Apparatus for controlling operation of compressors... Full patent description for Apparatus for controlling operation of compressors Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus for controlling operation of compressors patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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