AC/DC power converting apparatus with AC source shortcircuiting for power factor correction and harmonic suppression

A power converting apparatus comprising:

• a rectifier that converts alternating-current power from an alternating-current power supply into direct-current power;
• a short-circuit unit that short-circuits the alternating-current power supply via a reactor;
• and
• a control unit that controls short-circuit operation of the short-circuit unit, wherein, when a number of times of the short-circuit operation of the short-circuit unit during the half cycle of the alternating-current power supply is reduced on the basis of a load condition, the control unit sets a first period from a start of a first short circuit operation to an end of all short circuit operations during the half cycle of the alternating-current power supply after the reduction of the number of times of the short-circuit operation of the short-circuit unit smaller than a second period from a start of a first short circuit operation to an end of all short circuit operations in the half cycle period of the alternating-current power supply before the reduction of the number of times of the short-circuit operation of the short-circuit unit, and a sum of times in which the short-circuit unit is performing the short-circuit operation in the second period approaches a sum of times in which the short-circuit unit is performing the short-circuit operation in the first period.