Home Appliances/Industrial Systems

Air Conditioners: Typically, inverter air conditioners utilize an inverter circuit to drive a compressor motor. For motor control, various semiconductor devices are used, such as microcontrollers, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and photocouplers. Microcontrollers provide overall system control, pulse-width-modulation (PWM) generation and system protection functions. IGBTs and photocouplers reside in the inverter driver circuit and its interface, respectively.

Refrigerators: Refrigerators are quite similar to air conditioners, in terms of the purpose their inverter compressor motors serve. However, refrigerators use high-performance microcontrollers and sensors to control internal temperature and humidity. The use of inverter technology helps achieve higher efficiency (energy conservation), lower vibration and lower noise levels.

Washing Machines: Direct-drive(DD) inverter motors are well suited as the main motor of washing machines. The DD inverter motor helps reduce wash/spin noise and vibration. Use of an inverter motor enables a washing machine to adjust the amount of water to suit the washload. IGBT modules are used for motor drive, and microcontrollers for overall control.

Induction Cooktops: Induction rice cookers use a type of pot specifically designed for induction heating. This allows for quick, yet perfect boiling at high temperatures. IGBTs are used for the induction-heating system. In addition, triac-couplers are used for the side heater, microcontrollers for overall control, and transistors for driving cooling fans.

Induction Rice Cookers: Induction rice cookers use a type of pot specifically designed for induction heating. This allows for quick, yet perfect boiling at high temperatures. IGBTs are used for the induction-heating system. In addition, triac-couplers are used for the side heater, microcontrollers for overall control, and transistors for driving cooling fans.

Dishwashers: An inverter motor gives a powerful water jet, low vibration and low noise. IGBTs are used for motor drive and microcontrollers for overall control.

Microwave Ovens: Microwave ovens employ microwave radiation to cook or heat food by moving water, fat and sugar molecules.Recently, superheated steam ovens got much public fanfare. Since they remove excess fat and salt from food, they are popular as a healthier way of cooking. IGBTs are used for driving magnetrons; microcontrollers for controlling the amount of heating; and photocouplers for driving fan motors.

Water Heaters: Water heaters are broadly categorized into gas, electric and solar-powered heaters. Almost the same kinds of semiconductor devices are used in all of them. Hot water is circulated to bathrooms, floor heating systems and so on. The water is adjusted to a temperature specified via a remote controller (PLC communication) by mixing hot and cold water at a mixing valve.Microcontrollers are used for control of the heater and remote controller; and triacs for the PLC communications IC and pump motors.

Motor Solutions: Many of the digital mobile handsets, small office equipment and toy robots are battery-powered, and the controllers for small motors and actuators in these applications are required to consume little power. Toshiba is committed to the development of next-generation general-purpose motors featuring low power consumption, low noise, quick response and accurate control by leveraging proprietary manufacturing and circuit technologies.