Power Factor & Its Improvement
Power Factor & Its Improvement
Presentation outline
What is PF ?
Introduction: Most plant loads are Inductive and require a magnetic field to operate: Motors,Transformers The magnetic field is necessary, but produces no useful work The utility must supply the power to produce the magnetic field and the power to produce the useful work: You pay for all of it! These two types of current are the ACTIVE and REACTIVE components
Power Factor
It is a measure of how effectively the current is being converted into useful work output
significant phase difference between the voltage and current at the load terminals due to inductive loads. due to a high harmonic content due to use of power electronic devices.
Increase in generation capacity of utilities. Reduction in penalty imposed by the utilities for low Power Factor. Saving in conductor cost.
A poor pf due to an inductive load can be improved by the addition of power factor correction poor power factor due to a distorted current waveform requires Change in equipment design Expensive harmonic filters to gain an appreciable improvement.
Bulk Correction. capacitors connected at a distribution board and controlled independently from the individual starters is known as "Bulk
Correction".
Bulk Correction
Static Correction
Capacitors connected at each starter and controlled by each starter is known as "Static Power Factor Correction"
Static Correction
Inverter
Static Power factor correction must not be used when the motor is controlled by a variable speed drive or inverter.
Supply Harmonics
The harmonics are caused by many non linear loads like variable speed controllers and switch-mode power supplies Harmonic voltages can be reduced by the use of a harmonic compensator. We can use harmonic filters also.
Addition of Capacitors