Emerson Climate Technologies Gmbh

Emerson Electric Company

Copeland Corporation

Insinkerator LLC

Charles E Green

Joseph Gerald Marcinkiewicz

James L Skinner

Michael I Henderson

John P Powers

John Francis Broker

Stephen M Seibel

Daniel L McSweeney

John F Broker

Kraig Bockhorst

Kashmira Patel

Charles A Farago

Paul Rancuret

Joshua Edward Tischler

Heath Mcclung

An induction motor assembly includes an induction motor, and one or more switches coupled to selectively inhibit the supply of power from a power source to at least one of a main winding and an auxiliary winding of the motor. A control circuit is configured to obtain a main winding voltage value representative of a voltage across the main winding, receive an auxiliary winding voltage value according to a sensed voltage across the auxiliary winding, and determine at least one of a rotational speed of the induction motor and a load of the induction motor, according to the main winding voltage value and the auxiliary winding voltage value. The control circuit is configured to control switching operation of the one or more switches according to the determined rotational speed or the determined load, or generate a log of the determined rotational speed or the determined load in memory for monitoring.

Induction motors including speed sensing circuits for motor control

A disposal assembly includes a motor coupled to operate a grinding mechanism of a food waste disposer. A first switch is coupled to selectively inhibit the supply of power from a power source to a main winding of the motor, and a second switch is coupled to selectively inhibit the supply of power from the power source to a start winding of the motor. A control circuit is configured to close the first and second switches during an initial startup time period, detect a voltage of at least one of the windings, and open the second switch in response to detection of the voltage above a start voltage threshold value. The control circuit is also configured to subsequent to opening the second switch, close the second switch in response to detection of the voltage below a low voltage threshold value indicative of an excess load condition of the motor.

Control circuits for disposer motors

An optocoupler circuit includes first and second resistors, an optocoupler, a reference circuit, and a comparator. The optocoupler includes a light source and a phototransistor. The light source is connected to form a first voltage divider with the first resistor. The phototransistor is connected to form a second voltage divider with the second resistor. The optocoupler transitions an output of the second voltage divider between first and second levels. Magnitudes of the first and second levels are greater than zero. The reference circuit is configured to output a reference voltage. The comparator includes a first input and a second input. The first input receives an output of the first voltage divider. The second input receives the reference voltage. An output of the comparator transitions between a third level and a fourth level based on a comparison between the output of the first voltage divider and the reference voltage.

High-speed optocoupler circuits

A compressor assembly includes a compressor motor having a main winding coupled with a line terminal to receive power from a line voltage source, and an auxiliary winding. The assembly includes first and second capacitors each coupled between the line terminal and the auxiliary winding, a first relay to selectively couple the first capacitor and the second capacitor in parallel, a second relay coupled to selectively inhibit the supply of power from the line voltage source to the auxiliary winding via the first capacitor, and a control circuit configured to close the first relay in response detection of excess load condition criteria, and to subsequently open the first relay in response to detection of normal load condition criteria. The excess load condition criteria and the normal load condition criteria each include at least one of a voltage of the main winding and a voltage of the auxiliary winding.

Control circuits for compressor motors including multiple capacitors

A system for controlling a capacity of a compressor includes a motor of the compressor including a main winding connected at a connection point to an auxiliary winding and a drive configured to control a speed of the motor. The system includes a first switch configured to selectively connect the main winding to either a first line voltage or a first output of the drive, a second switch configured to selectively connect the connection point to either a second line voltage or a second output of the drive, and a third switch configured to selectively connect the auxiliary winding to either a capacitor or a third output of the drive. The system includes a solenoid valve configured to selectively either operate in a first capacity or a second capacity. The system includes a control module configured to control the drive, the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch.

Systems and methods for multi-stage operation of a compressor

A desired OFF period module is configured to determine a desired OFF period for a plurality of switches of a PFC circuit based on an input voltage and an output voltage. A blanking timer module is configured to output a blanking signal, set the blanking signal to a first state when a countdown timer is greater than zero, and set the blanking signal to a second state when the countdown timer reaches zero. A switching control module is configured to: transition a first switch of the plurality of switches from an ON state to an OFF state in response to (i) a measured current through an inductor of the PFC circuit being greater than a demanded current through the inductor and (ii) the blanking signal being in the second state; and maintain the first switch in the OFF state for the desired OFF period after the transition.

Multi-phase converter control system and method for interleaving multi-phase converters

A control system for driving a motor of a compressor includes a microcontroller and a programmable logic device. The microcontroller is configured to generate a reference current value for a power factor correction (PFC) converter. The programmable logic device is configured to receive control messages from the microcontroller and, in response to data in a first control message, set a value into a timing register. The programmable logic device is configured to reverse a state of a power switch of the PFC converter between an on state and an off state in response to receiving a comparison signal indicating that a measured current in the PFC converter crossed the reference current value. The programmable logic device is configured to, subsequent to reversing the state of the power switch, wait for a period of time determined by the timing register and reverse the state of the power switch.

Microcontroller architecture for power factor correction converter

A PFC circuit is provided. A first bridge rectifier receives an AC voltage. A power converter includes a switch and receives an output of the first bridge rectifier, converts the output to a first DC voltage, and supplies the first DC voltage to a DC bus to power a compressor. A second bridge rectifier receives the AC voltage and bypasses at least one of the first bridge rectifier, a choke and a diode of the PFC circuit to provide a rectified AC voltage out of the second bridge rectifier to the DC bus to power the compressor. A control module controls operation of a driver to transition the switch between open and closed states to adjust a second DC voltage on the DC bus, where the second DC voltage, depending on the AC and second DC voltages, is based on the first DC voltage or the rectified AC voltage.

Power factor correction circuit and method including dual bridge rectifiers

A power factor correction (PFC) system includes a desired OFF period module that determines a desired OFF period for a switch of a PFC circuit based on an input voltage to the PFC circuit and an output voltage of the PFC circuit. A switching control module transitions the switch from an ON state to an OFF state when a measured current through an inductor of the PFC circuit is greater than a demanded current through the inductor and maintains the switch in the OFF state for the desired OFF period after the transition from the ON state to the OFF state.

Switch off time control systems and methods

An isolated temperature sensing system includes a thermistor that measures a temperature of a compressor system. An isolation circuit charges a capacitor, sets an output signal to a first state during charging of the capacitor, discharges the capacitor to the thermistor, and sets the output signal to a second state during discharging of the capacitor to the thermistor. The first state is different than the second state. A control module receives the output signal via an isolation barrier and determines the temperature of the compressor system based on a ratio of: (i) a first period that the output signal is in the first state to (ii) a second period that the output signal is in the second state.

Temperature sensing circuit for transmitting data across isolation barrier

A circuit for driving a motor of a compressor includes a microcontroller that generates a reference current value for a power factor correction (PFC) converter. A programmable logic device (PLD) receives control messages from the microcontroller. The PLD sets a value in an off-time register based on a control message from the microcontroller. The PLD controls a power switch of the PFC converter to turn off in response to receiving a comparison signal indicating that a measured current in the PFC converter exceeds the reference current value. Subsequent to controlling the power switch to turn off, the PLD waits for a period of time determined by the off-time register before controlling the power switch to turn on.

A drive includes an inverter power circuit that applies power to an electric motor of a compressor from a direct current (DC) voltage bus. A power factor correction (PFC) circuit outputs power to the DC voltage bus based on input alternating current (AC) power. The PFC circuit includes: (i) a switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal; (ii) a driver that switches the switch between open and closed states based on a control signal; (iii) an inductor that charges and discharges based on switching of the switch; and (iv) a circuit that outputs a signal indicating whether the switch is in the open state or the closed state based on a voltage across the first and second terminals of the switch.

Switch actuation measurement circuit for voltage converter

A PFC circuit is provided. A bridge rectification circuit receives an AC voltage and generates a rectified AC voltage. A power converter converts the rectified AC voltage to a first DC voltage, where the power converter includes a switch and supplies the first DC voltage to a DC bus to power a compressor. A current sensor detects an amount of current. A control module, while operating in a correction mode: based on the rectified AC voltage, a phase angle of the rectified AC voltage, a second DC voltage of the DC bus, or the detected amount of current, control operation of the switch to transition between operating in a high activity mode and an inactive or low activity mode; transition the switch between open and closed states while in the high and low activity modes; and maintain the power converter in an OFF state while in the inactive mode.

Power factor correction circuits and methods including partial power factor correction operation for boost and buck power converters

A power factor correction (PFC) system includes a PFC circuit that receives an alternating current (AC) voltage and that, using a switch, generates a direct current (DC) voltage from the AC voltage. A zero crossing module determines a zero crossing of the AC voltage based on: a first voltage and a first time when the AC voltage transitioned from less than a first predetermined voltage to greater than the first predetermined voltage; and a second voltage and a second time when the AC voltage transitioned from less than a second predetermined voltage to greater than the second predetermined voltage. The first predetermined voltage is negative, and the second predetermined voltage is positive. A reference module, based on the zero crossing, generates a sinusoidal reference signal corresponding to the AC voltage in phase and frequency. A switching control module controls switching of the switch based on the sinusoidal reference signal.

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Fenton, MO, United States of America

Charles E Green