Current Status and Trends in Compressor Development 3. Supporting Components for Compressors. 3.1. Inverter.

摘要

It has been 7 years since the inverter-controlled air conditioner was introduced in 1980 as a commercial air conditioner. In the following years, it was applied to the residential heat pump air conditioner. During the past seven years the technology and product reliability of the inverter have improved significantly. Many characteristics of the inverter such as heating and cooling capability, comfort, and energy efficiency have also improved since the first unit was introduced. In the domestic market, moreover, approximately 1/3 of all air conditioners (1 million units for the 1987 cooling year) are expected to be of the inverter type, and the inverter has become an integral part of air conditioners. The major components of the inverter are semiconductors such as microprocessors and power transistors. The reason the inverter technology for air conditioner has rapidly improved is that the technical advancement of these components coincided with the timing of the development of the inverter air conditioner. This paper discusses current trends and future development of inverter technology with emphasis on the inverter used in home air conditioners. (ERA citation 13:037400)