# US 10,502,201 B2 · Method for operating a linear compressor

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- Number: US 10,502,201 B2
- Document ID: US10502201B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/607,374
- Filed: 2015-01-28
- Published: 2016-07-28
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-28
- Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
- Applicants: General Electric Company; University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
- Inventors: Srujan Kusumba; Gregory William Hahn; Michael Lee McIntyre; Joseph W. Latham
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502201B2

## CPC

- F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers}
- F04B 35/045: {using solenoids}
- F04B 2203/0401: Current
- F04B 2203/0402: Voltage
- F04B 2203/0409: Linear speed
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)

## Abstract

A method for operating a linear compressor includes providing a dynamic model for a motor of the linear compressor, estimating values for each unknown constant of a plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor and repeatedly updating the estimate for each unknown constant of the plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor in order to reduce an error between a measured value for the electrical dynamic model and an estimated valve for the electrical dynamic model.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for estimating parameters of a linear compressor, comprising:
providing an electrical dynamic model for a motor of the linear compressor, the electrical dynamic model for the motor comprising a plurality of constants and a plurality of variables, the plurality of constants of the electrical dynamic model for the motor comprising a resistance of the motor of the linear compressor, an inductance of the motor of the linear compressor, and a motor force constant, the plurality of constants of the electrical dynamic model for the motor comprising a velocity of the motor of the linear compressor;
estimating each constant of the plurality of constants of the electrical dynamic model for the motor;
supplying the motor of the linear compressor with a time varying voltage;
measuring the velocity of the motor of the linear compressor with a sensor while supplying the motor of the linear compressor with the time varying voltage;
determining a time varying current through the motor of the linear compressor while supplying the motor of the linear compressor with the time varying voltage;
calculating an error between the measured velocity of the motor of the linear compressor-at a first time and an estimated velocity of the motor of the linear compressor from the electrical dynamic model at the first time;
repeatedly updating the estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the electrical dynamic model for the motor at each time after the first time in order to reduce the error between the measured velocity of the motor of the linear compressor at each time after the first time and an estimated velocity of the motor of the linear compressor from the electrical dynamic model at each time after the first time;
saving a final estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the electrical dynamic model for the motor in a controller of the linear compressor after said step of repeatedly updating, the controller configured to operate the motor of the linear compressor based at least in part with the final estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the electrical dynamic model; and
sealing the motor of the linear compressor within a hermetic shell after said steps of supplying, calculating and repeatedly updating.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical dynamic model for the motor comprises
x
.
=
v
a
α
+
r
i
⁢
i
α
+
L
i
α
⁢
di
dt
where
{dot over (x)} is a velocity of the motor of the linear compressor;
va is a voltage across the motor of the linear compressor;
α is a motor force constant;
ri is a resistance of the motor of the linear compressor;
i is a current through the motor of the linear compressor; and
Li is an inductance of the motor of the linear compressor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the electrical dynamic model for the motor with a low-pass filter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said step of repeatedly updating comprises utilizing an adaptive least-squares algorithm in order to drive the error between the measured value for the electrical dynamic model at each time after the first time and the estimated variable of the electrical dynamic model at each time after the first time towards zero.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the time varying voltage has at least two frequencies components during said step of supplying.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing a mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor, the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor also comprising a plurality of constants;
estimating each constant of the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor;
calculating an error between a measured variable of the mechanical dynamic model at the first time and an estimated variable of the mechanical dynamic model at the first time; and
repeatedly updating the estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor at each time after the first time in order to reduce the error between a measured value for the mechanical dynamic model at each time after the first time and an estimated variable of the mechanical dynamic model at each time after the first time.

### Claim 7

A method for estimating parameters of a linear compressor, comprising:
providing a mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor, the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor comprising a plurality of constants and a plurality of variables, the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor comprising a moving mass of the linear compressor, a damping coefficient of the linear compressor, and a spring stiffness of the linear compressor, the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the motor comprising a velocity of the motor of the linear compressor;
estimating each constant of the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor;
supplying a motor of the linear compressor with a time varying voltage;
measuring the velocity of the motor of the linear compressor with a sensor while supplying the motor of the linear compressor with the time varying voltage;
determining a time varying current through the motor of the linear compressor while supplying the motor of the linear compressor with the time varying voltage;
calculating an error between the measured velocity of the motor of the linear compressor at a first time and an estimated velocity of the motor of the linear compressor from the mechanical dynamic model at the first time; and
repeatedly updating the estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor at each time after the first time in order to reduce the error between the measured velocity of the motor of the linear compressor at each time after the first time and an estimated velocity of the motor of the linear compressor from the mechanical dynamic model at each time after the first time;
saving a final estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor in a controller of the linear compressor after said step of repeatedly updating, the controller configured to operate the motor of the linear compressor based at least in part with the final estimate for each constant of the plurality of constants of the mechanical dynamic model; and
sealing the motor of the linear compressor within a hermetic shell after said steps of supplying, calculating and repeatedly updating.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor comprises
Fm=M{umlaut over (x)}+C{dot over (x)}+Kx
where
M is a moving mass of the linear compressor;
{umlaut over (x)} is an acceleration of the motor of the linear compressor;
C is a damping coefficient of the linear compressor;
{dot over (x)} is a velocity of the motor of the linear compressor;
K is a spring stiffness of the linear compressor; and
x is a position of the moving mass of the linear compressor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising filtering the mechanical dynamic model for the linear compressor with a low-pass filter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein said step of repeatedly updating comprises utilizing an adaptive least-squares algorithm in order to drive the error between the measured value for the mechanical dynamic model at each time after the first time and the estimated variable of the mechanical dynamic model at each time after the first time towards zero.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the time varying voltage has at least two frequencies components during said step of supplying.