Power converting apparatus

1. A power converting apparatus comprising:

a single-phase multiplex converter connected to a load via a reactor to provide electric power to the load, said single-phase multiplex converter including a first single-phase inverter to which a maximum DC source voltage is supplied and at least one second single-phase inverter, said first single-phase inverter outputting voltage pulses at a rate of one pulse per half period of a reference AC voltage, said first and at least one second single-phase inverters being connected in series at AC output sides of said single-phase inverters, wherein said first and at least one second single-phase inverters convert DC power fed from a DC power supply into AC power; and

a control unit for controlling said single-phase multiplex converter to produce an output voltage having a quasi-sinusoidal waveform simulated by the sum of output voltages of respective single-phase inverters, said control unit including a current controller for regulating an output current of said single-phase multiplex converter to follow a target current which is determined in accordance with the load, wherein

said current controller drives said at least one second single-phase inverter such that the output current of said single-phase multiplex converter follows the target current,

said control unit includes

a central processing unit having a mathematical processing capability, and

a control circuit including a digital signal processing circuit and an analog circuit including a hysteresis comparator circuit having an ordinary range of hysteresis,

said central processing unit outputs a current signal corresponding to the target current,

said current controller regulates the output current using said control circuit,

said current controller generates a control signal which is supplied to said at least one second single-phase inverter so that the output current of said single-phase multiplex converter increases and decreases within the ordinary range of hysteresis, and

said hysteresis comparator circuit has a marginal range of hysteresis encompassing the ordinary range of hysteresis and, if the output current of said single-phase multiplex converter goes out of the ordinary range of hysteresis, said control unit makes a correction so that output current of said single-phase multiplex converter varies within the ordinary range of hysteresis.

2. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio V/Vm of a total DC source voltage V, supplied to said at least one second single-phase inverter, to the DC source voltage Vm, supplied to said first single-phase inverter, is within a range of 0.5 to 1.0.

3. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ordinary range of hysteresis of said hysteresis comparator circuit is determined based on amplitude of output voltage of said second single-phase inverter and a maximum switching frequency of switching devices constituting said second single-phase inverter.

4. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first single-phase inverter is controlled such that output voltage of said first single-phase inverter produces a stepwise waveform inscribed in each half-wave portion of the reference AC voltage and absolute value of the output voltage of said first single-phase inverter is equal to or smaller than absolute value of the reference AC voltage at all times.

5. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first single-phase inverter is controlled such that output voltage of said first single-phase inverter produces a stepwise waveform circumscribed about each half-wave portion of the reference AC voltage and absolute value of the output voltage of said first single-phase inverter is equal to or larger than absolute value of the reference AC voltage at all times.

6. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the DC source voltage supplied to said first single-phase inverter is variable, and

said control unit controllably drives said second single-phase inverter in such a manner that amounts of electric power supplied to and discharged from the DC power supply of said second single-phase inverter through said second single-phase inverter are balanced.

7. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of single-phase inverters includes said first single-phase inverter and only one second single-phase inverter.

8. The power converting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

said single-phase multiplex converter is connected between an AC power supply and the load in parallel with the load via the reactor, and

said single-phase multiplex converter is used as an active filter which outputs a harmonic compensation current for canceling harmonics generated by the load.

9. A power converting apparatus comprising:

a single-phase multiplex converter connected to a load via a reactor to provide electric power to the load, said single-phase multiplex converter including a first single-phase inverter to which a maximum DC source voltage is supplied and at least one second single-phase inverter, said first single-phase inverter outputting voltage pulses at a rate of one pulse per half period of a reference AC voltage, said first and at least one second single-phase inverters being connected in series at AC output sides of said single-phase inverters, wherein said first and at least one second single-phase inverters convert DC power fed from a DC power supply into AC power; and

a control unit for controlling said single-phase multiplex converter to produce an output voltage having a quasi-sinusoidal waveform simulated by the sum of output voltages of respective single-phase inverters, said control unit including a current controller for regulating an output current of said single-phase multiplex converter to follow a target current which is determined in accordance with the load, wherein

said current controller drives said at least one second single-phase inverter such that the output current of said single-phase multiplex converter follows the target current, and

said control unit adjusts the DC source voltage supplied to said first single-phase inverter so that said control unit controllably drives said second single-phase inverter in such a manner that amounts of electric power supplied to and discharged from the DC power supply of said second single-phase inverter through said second single-phase inverter are balanced.

10. The power converting apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

said control unit includes a hysteresis comparator circuit having an ordinary range of hysteresis, and

said current controller generates a control signal which is supplied to said at least one second single-phase inverter so that the output current of said single-phase multiplex converter increases and decreases within the ordinary range of hysteresis.