Power Factor

Power-factor is in brief the ratio which tells you the amount of active power (ie which can be used for doing some work- or in other words transforming electrical energy into other form) and reactive power (this is the imaginary power and is not used for any particular work. This power is stored and discharged within the system)

The Power factor is pre-dominantly dependant on load.

If the nett load is inductive - it is inductive power, if capacitive it is capacitive power.

The explanations can be found in any AC Circuit theory books and if you prefer net you can find them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_factor

guest; the power factor is the load on the generator, the kilowatts is the load on the diesel engine, typical 10,000 watt genset is rated 10 KW. 12.5 KVA @ .80 power factor if your power factor goes lower, say .50 PF you are overloading the generator windings, that is the copper wire inside the generator. perry

1. Theoretically, Power Factor in an AC circuit, is the cosine of electrical angle between voltage wave and current wave, usually noted at their respective peak.
2. PF mainly depends on load - for inductive load, current lags voltage and the PF is termed as lagging; For capacitive load, current leads the voltage and PF is termed as leading. For a resistive load, the voltage & current are in phase with each other and hence the PF is 1 - termed as Unity.
3. Ideally the PF should be 1; You need a higher capacity generator/source for the same amount of load, if the PF is lower - may it be leading or lagging.
4. In industries, the PF is always lagging because of induction motors usage, which are, most if the times, under-utilised.
5. The user need to improve the PF, to reduce the current drawn from the supply source by- a) Connecting capacitors with suitable controller b) Use of over-excited synchronous motor.

Thanks Sada, I really appreciate it.

GURVIR