Inverter-based Emulation of Single-phase Air Conditioner Loads

Laboratory experimentation of electromechanical systems can be challenging from a practical perspective and offers limited flexibility once built. Aiming at maximizing versatility and accelerating laboratory research, we propose a method of electric motor emulation via power electronics. This paper is focused on constant-frequency air conditioners based on single-phase induction machines and we show how to control a single-phase inverter to emulate the ac-terminal dynamics of such a system serving thermal loads. This approach offers a convenient method of high-bandwidth air conditioner load emulation without moving parts. Such a setup could be used to realize electrical experiments that mimic residential load dynamics with high fidelity. After outlining the system model, we propose a practical voltage-source inverter implementation and conclude with experiments on a 600 W converter.