Power Factor Correction Capacitor

Hello Guest,

1. It depends on the existing Power Factor (P.F.) at the inductive device (Motor, fluorescent lighting etc)

2. Yes, usage of the proper amount of P.F. correction can result in big savings for a large installation.

In many installations, it is more convenient to install automatic P.F. correction equipment, which senses the actual P.F. and switches capacitor banks in and out as required, to correct P.F. to the predetermined level.

Many Electrical Supply Companies/Authorities make P.F. correction a condition of Supply, as it enables more efficient usage of the Supply Company/Authority lines, cables and transformers too.

Kind Regards....

Yes, it does. It saves the heat dissipation from the out-of-phase reactive currents as they pass through the resistances of the cables.

Energy dissipated is related to cost.

Reducing and/or eliminating reactive currents can permit the installation of a smaller cable in some cases, and can defer the upsizing of cables in others.

I agreed with two previous comments, but for instance as end-consumer me, to be honest, wouldn't be care how much mine AC machine consume reactive power until power grid is capable deliver its enough into plant feeders. Consuming of reactive power is "unbreakable" nature of any AC motor. It's not good either bad --- it's so.

Nevertheless if every one end-consumer would accept such kind of selfish behavior it will end up to power grid collaps due to its restricted capabilites for useless transportation of reactive power. Therefore [as Sparkstation] said Power companies are stimulating consumers through tarif politics to install compensating devices, mostly batteries of capacitors.

Yes it's really can save energy consumption from level of power grids, to deliver for end consumer needed level of voltage to run his AC motors smoothly at its best performaces. Oh! And save consumers' money.

If the load current is resistive, the addition of a power factor correction capacitor will actually increase the current from the supply and this will increase the resistive losses in the supply.

If there is inductive current flowing in the load, then adding the correct amount of power factor correction capacitance will reduce that inductive current flowing in the load and this will reduce the resistive losses in the supply.

So, the addition of an appropriately sized power factor capacitor can reduce inductive current flowing in the supply and reduce the supply losses and this is an energy saving for the supply authority.

I suspect that your question was in relation to a reduction in your electricity bill and here, the answer is different because you are not directly charged for the losses in the electrical supply unless you are a large user.

The addition of power factor correction will NOT have any significant affect on the KWHrs used by you unless you have a high distribution loss on the load side of your electricity meter. This is not very likely, so you will probably not see a reduction in KWHrs on your meter.

Large industrial users pay for KWHrs and pay an additional penalty for poor power factor, or a KVA maximum demand surcharge, or some other form of tariff which is designed to encourage the use of power factor correction. This surcharge is often quite severe and results in a good payback for the use of power factor correction.

If you are paying for KWHrs only, power factor correction will not reduce your pwer bill.

For more information, see http://www.LMPhotonics.com/pwrfact.htm or http://www.markempson.com/motor-control/power-factor

Best regards,

Mark