Apparatus for controlling compressor, control system for compressor and method for controlling compressor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a compressor control apparatus, a compressor control system, and a compressor control method for controlling the switching operation of a plurality of switching modules according to a preset control criterion to discharge residual charge remaining in an electrolytic capacitor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor control apparatus, comprising:
 a cutoff unit configured to interrupt power input from an external power source;   an input unit configured to receive the power input from the external power source through the cutoff unit;   an inverter unit configured to convert an input power supplied from the input unit to an operating power for operating a motor of a compressor, the inverter unit comprising a plurality of switching modules configured to perform a switching operation to control an output of the operating power to the motor; and   a control unit configured to, by controlling the inverter unit, control a conversion of the input power to the operating power and the output of the operating power,   wherein the control unit is configured to, based on an operation of the motor being stopped, control the switching operation of the plurality of switching modules according to a preset control criterion to thereby discharge a residual charge stored in the input unit.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cutoff unit is configured to:
 maintain a closed state to transmit the power input from the external power source to the input unit, and   change to an open state to cut off the power input from the external power source based on sensing a high voltage that is greater than a predetermined reference level.   
     
     
         3 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching modules comprise three pairs of switching modules, each pair of switching modules comprising two switching modules connected to each other electrically in series. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching modules comprise:
 a first upper arm switching module, a second upper arm switching module, and a third upper arm switching module that are connected to an anode end of the input unit; and   a first lower arm switching module, a second lower arm switching module, and a third lower arm switching module that are connected to a cathode end of the input unit,   wherein the first upper arm switching module and the first lower arm switching module are connected to each other electrically in series,   wherein the second upper arm switching module and the second lower arm switching module are connected to each other electrically in series, and   wherein the third upper arm switching module and the third lower arm switching module are connected to each other electrically in series.   
     
     
         5 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 determine whether or not the operation of the motor is stopped based on the cutoff unit being opened to cut off the power input from the external power source; and   based on a determination that the operation of the motor is stopped, control the switching operation to discharge the residual charge.   
     
     
         6 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 control the switching operation to discharge the residual charge based on the operation of the motor being stopped for a duration greater than a preset standby time period.   
     
     
         7 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the preset control criterion comprises an operation of at least two of the plurality of switching modules to control the switching operation. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switching modules comprise a plurality of upper arm switching modules connected to an anode end of the input unit and a plurality of lower arm switching modules connected to a cathode end of the input unit, and
 wherein the control unit is configured to:
 control the switching operation of one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules other than one lower arm switching module connected to the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules to thereby discharge the residual charge. 
   
     
     
         9 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 control the switching operation of the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and the one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules to define a discharge path between the input unit and the motor through the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and the one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules to thereby discharge the residual charge through the defined discharge path.   
     
     
         10 . The compressor control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the switching operation for a preset discharge time period to discharge the residual charge. 
     
     
         11 . A compressor control system, comprising:
 a motor configured to drive a compressor; and   a control apparatus comprising a plurality of switching modules configured to convert a power input from an external power source to an operating power for operating the motor, the control apparatus being configured to output the operating power to the motor to control operation of the motor based on controlling a switching operation of the plurality of switching modules,   wherein the control apparatus is configured to, based on an operation of the motor being stopped, control the switching operation of two or more of the plurality of switching modules to thereby discharge a residual charge stored in the control apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The compressor control system of  claim 11 , wherein the control apparatus is configured to:
 maintain a closed state to transmit the power input from the external power source to the motor;   change to an open state to interrupt the power input from the external power source based on sensing a high voltage that is greater than a predetermined reference level; and   in the open state, control the switching operation to discharge the residual charge.   
     
     
         13 . The compressor control system of  claim 11 , wherein the control apparatus is configured to:
 stop the operation of the motor; and   control the switching operation to discharge the residual charge based on an elapse of a preset standby time period after stopping the operation of the motor.   
     
     
         14 . The compressor control system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of switching modules comprise a plurality of upper arm switching modules disposed at a first side of the plurality of switching modules and a plurality of lower arm switching modules disposed at a second side of the plurality of switching modules, and
 wherein the control apparatus is configured to:
 control the switching operation of one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules other than one lower switching module connected to the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules to thereby discharge the residual charge. 
   
     
     
         15 . The compressor control system of  claim 14 , wherein the control apparatus is configured to:
 control the switching operation of the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and the one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules to define a discharge path between the control apparatus and the motor through the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and the one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules to thereby discharge the residual charge through the defined discharge path.   
     
     
         16 . The compressor control system of  claim 11 , wherein the control apparatus is configured to control the switching operation for a preset discharge time period to discharge the residual charge. 
     
     
         17 . A method of controlling a compressor control apparatus that includes a cutoff unit configured to interrupt power input from an external power source, an input unit configured to receive the power input from the external power source through the cutoff unit, an inverter unit that is configured to convert an input power supplied from the input unit to an operating power for operating a motor of a compressor, the inverter unit including a plurality of switching modules configured to perform a switching operation to control an output of the operating power to the motor, and a control unit configured to, by controlling the inverter unit, control a conversion from the input power to the operating power and the output of the operating power, the method comprising:
 cutting off the power input from the external power source;   determining a discharge condition based on an operation of the motor;   based on the discharge condition, performing a discharge control of a residual charge stored in the input unit by controlling the plurality of switching modules according to a preset control criterion; and   stopping the discharge control.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the discharge condition comprises whether or not the operation of the motor is stopped or an operation stop time period for which the operation of the motor has been stopped. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of switching modules comprise a plurality of upper arm switching modules connected to an anode end of the input unit and a plurality of lower arm switching modules connected to a cathode end of the input unit, and
 wherein performing the discharge control comprises:
 controlling the switching operation of one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules and one or more of the plurality of lower arm switching modules other than one lower arm switching module connected to the one of the plurality of upper arm switching modules. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein performing the discharge control comprises performing the discharge control for a preset discharge time period.