Refrigeration cycle apparatus

A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:

• a compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant that has been drawn in the compressor;
• a condenser that condenses the refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
• a pressure-reducing mechanism that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant from the condenser by expanding the refrigerant;
• an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant from the pressure-reducing mechanism;
• an orifice formed in a refrigerant flow path from the compressor to the pressure-reducing mechanism in the refrigeration cycle apparatus;
• a differential pressure sensor that detects differential pressure before and after the orifice;
• a refrigerant flowrate calculating portion that calculates a refrigerant flowrate based on the differential pressure detected by the differential pressure sensor;
• and
• a torque estimating portion that estimates the torque required to drive the compressor based on the refrigerant flowrate calculated by the refrigerant flowrate calculating portion, the intake pressure of the compressor, and the discharge pressure of the compressor.