An alternating-current direct-current converter, comprising: a rectifier connected to a single-phase alternating current power supply via a reactor; two capacitors (6, 7) connected in series between output terminals of the rectifier; a first switch connected between one input terminal of the rectifier and a connection point of the capacitors (6, 7); a second switch connected between the other input terminal of the rectifier and the connection point of the capacitors (6, 7); diodes (10, 11) inversely parallelly connected with the capacitors (6, 7); a voltage detector which detects terminal voltages of the capacitors (6, 7); a current detector which detects a single-phase current input from the single-phase alternating current power supply; and control means which drives and controls the first switch and the second switch, wherein the control means drives and controls the first switch and the second switch such that the terminal voltages of the capacitors (6, 7) are fixed and a power supply power factor is improved using an active power component and a reactive power component obtained by conversion of detection results of the current detector and detection results of the voltage detector, characterized in that the control means converts the detection result of the current detector into an active power component current and a reactive power component current and performs control such that the terminal voltages of the capacitors (6, 7) are fixed using the active power component current, the control means includes means (32a, 32b) that removes a pulsation component which has twice the frequency of that of the single-phase alternating current power supply and which is included in the active power component current and the reactive power component current, and the control means drives and controls the first switching means and the second switching means based on an active power component (Ip) and a reactive power component (Iq) which are remaining components after removing the pulsation component from the active power component current and the reactive power component current, such that the converter voltage between the input terminals of the rectifier 2 becomes a three-level chopping voltage. a rectifier connected to a single-phase alternating current power supply via a reactor; two capacitors (6, 7) connected in series between output terminals of the rectifier; a first switch connected between one input terminal of the rectifier and a connection point of the capacitors (6, 7); a second switch connected between the other input terminal of the rectifier and the connection point of the capacitors (6, 7); diodes (10, 11) inversely parallelly connected with the capacitors (6, 7); a voltage detector which detects terminal voltages of the capacitors (6, 7); a current detector which detects a single-phase current input from the single-phase alternating current power supply; and control means which drives and controls the first switch and the second switch, wherein the control means drives and controls the first switch and the second switch such that the terminal voltages of the capacitors (6, 7) are fixed and a power supply power factor is improved using an active power component and a reactive power component obtained by conversion of detection results of the current detector and detection results of the voltage detector, characterized in that the control means converts the detection result of the current detector into an active power component current and a reactive power component current and performs control such that the terminal voltages of the capacitors (6, 7) are fixed using the active power component current, the control means includes means (32a, 32b) that removes a pulsation component which has twice the frequency of that of the single-phase alternating current power supply and which is included in the active power component current and the reactive power component current, and the control means drives and controls the first switching means and the second switching means based on an active power component (Ip) and a reactive power component (Iq) which are remaining components after removing the pulsation component from the active power component current and the reactive power component current, such that the converter voltage between the input terminals of the rectifier 2 becomes a three-level chopping voltage.