How to control power factor effectively?
Jan 19,2024
Power Factor Control refers to the management and maintenance of an acceptable power factor in electrical systems. Power factor is the ratio of real power (kW) to apparent power (kVA) in an electrical circuit. A low power factor indicates that the circuit is inefficient and requires more current to deliver a given amount of power. This results in increased energy losses, higher electricity bills, and overloading of the electrical infrastructure.
Power factor control aims to improve power factor by correcting or compensating for the reactive power component in the system. Reactive power is the power that oscillates between the source and load without being consumed.
There are several methods for power factor control. One common approach is the use of capacitors to provide reactive power compensation. Capacitor banks are installed in parallel with the load, and they supply reactive power to the system, thereby reducing the amount of reactive power required from the utility. This helps to improve the power factor and reduce energy losses.
Automatic reactive power compensation systems are employed to continuously monitor and adjust the power factor in real-time. These systems use control algorithms to measure the power factor and regulate the operation of the capacitor banks accordingly. When the power factor drops below a set threshold, the system activates the capacitors to inject reactive power and raise the power factor.
By implementing power factor control and utilizing
Capacitor Banks for reactive power compensation, electrical systems can achieve a higher power factor, reduce energy consumption, improve voltage stability, and enhance overall power quality.
