Electrical equipment requiring the creation
of a magnetic field to operate, for example:
Motors & motor driven machines
Induction heaters
Fluorescent lighting
will all draw a current which is said to ‘lag’
behind the voltage thus, producing a “lagging” Power
Factor.
Capacitors contained in most Power Factor
Correction Equipment draw current that is said to ’lead’
the voltage, thus producing a “leading” Power Factor.
If Capacitors are connected to a circuit that operates
at a nominally lagging power factor, the extent that the circuit
lags is reduced proportionately.
Circuits having no resultant leading or lagging component
are said to operate at a “unity” (1) power factor, and
the total energy consumed is equal to the useful energy.
Improving a systems power factor will reduce the total power consumed
by an electrical installation and will provide the following benefits:
Financial saving - By reducing power consumed electricity costs
are reduced.
Extended equipment life - Reduced electrical burden on cables and
electrical components.
Increase load capacity - Provide additional capacity for other
loads to be connected.
Environmental benefit - Reduced power consumption means less “Greenhouse”
gas emissions and fossil fuel depletion by power stations.
Extremely high reliability
Long service life
High current and voltage overload withstand capabilities
Individual ‘fail safe’ protection mechanism
Low weight and volume
)
is the ratio of “useful” power to “total”
power consumed by an item of electrical plant.
