---
title: "Artificial Intelligence to Control Electricity in Refrigerators & HVAC"
url: "https://3dfs.com/articles/artificial-intelligence-control-electricity-refrigerators-hvac"
description: "Software-Defined Electricity inside refrigerators and HVAC units: what a compressor asks of the panel, and what the measurement shows on a compressor."
updated: "2026-10-15"
---

# Artificial Intelligence to Control Electricity in Refrigerators & HVAC

> Software-Defined Electricity inside refrigerators and HVAC units: what a compressor asks of the panel, and what the measurement shows on a compressor.

We can adapt this technology to be put inside refrigerators and HVAC units and provide 3DFS Software-Defined Power (the technology is [Software-Defined Electricity](https://3dfs.com/technology/sde-summary) today) within them.

The major benefit from this is smooth continuous undistorted power for the unit that will include complete surge protection. The unit will require less current to startup and during operation of the device and the continuous match of power demand will prevent motors from galloping during startup and will ensure they always run at the designed RPMs, eliminating the presence of motor droop. All motors will also experience ideal magnetic flux during startup, operation and shutdown.

Another benefit to installing 3DFS Software-Defined Power into the units is the wireless transmission of energy usage data. The product company could receive streaming data on the in field performance of the device. This would include operational data for instance when the device is ON/OFF and how the customer uses the unit over time. It would also include unit diagnostic data alerting when maintenance is required or if failure is imminent.

We have an engineering group that works specifically with clients on the adaptation of 3DFS Software-Defined Power and can provide every aspect, from design through manufacturing or we can be contracted for select services in the process as you see fit.

## What a compressor asks of the panel

The [Industrial and Manufacturing](https://3dfs.com/solutions/industrial-manufacturing) page follows a compressor from the panel. Compressors and chillers start across the line or on soft starters. A contactor that drops out on a sag takes the compressor with it. A compressor’s sag chain is a contactor chain more often than a torque chain. Correction removes the plant’s own reactive share of the drop, but it does not hold the voltage or keep a machine running through a sag.

Unequal phases add heat. The [Phase Balance](https://3dfs.com/technology/phase-balance) page gives the mechanism: a motor turns negative-sequence voltage into heat in its rotor. The Industrial and Manufacturing page lists the result on the floor: a hotter compressor, chiller or fan motor, an earlier winding failure and a trip on the overload.

## What the measurement shows on a compressor

The [Water and Wastewater](https://3dfs.com/solutions/water-wastewater) page reports our bench test on a refrigerated container’s compressor, a 460 volt motor load. At the connection, power factor rose from 0.82 to 1.00. Reactive power fell from 4,852 to 488 volt-amperes reactive, and average current from 9.93 to 8.25 amperes. Active power ran 6,992 watts uncorrected and 7,066 watts corrected, with the controller’s draw inside the reading. The test supports no energy-saving claim.

The controller connects in parallel at the panel and logs each correction there, where the current forms, as the [Data Centers and Compute](https://3dfs.com/solutions/data-centers-compute) page describes. Removing or powering down the controller leaves the panel as installed.

## Where this stands today

The [About](https://3dfs.com/about) page describes what we build today: solid-state power controllers that connect in parallel at a distribution panel. The VectorQ2 and VectorQ5 are in production. The manufacturing floor takes contract work in electronics, precision fabrication and materials science.

[Labs](https://3dfs.com/labs) works with outside teams on research, integration and joint development. There, a partner product can carry a 3DFS measurement or correction layer.

### Related reading

- [Products: the VectorQ series and early access for partners](https://3dfs.com/products)

- [Power Factor: a capacitor bank fixes one of two problems](https://3dfs.com/technology/power-factor)

- [Partners: suppliers, technical collaborators and market partners](https://3dfs.com/partners)