Standard power factor correction is used in plants that do not have either strongly deformed currents nor resonance issues. If, in the plant, the presence of harmonic distortions is sensitive, we recommend the solutions with strengthened capacitors.
Authority Provisions for electricity
The authorities have required that companies distributing electricity apply financial penalties to businesses that have a power factor below the minimum limit allowed (generally 0.95).
Economic advantages
The elimination of bill penalties, the reduction in the size of power components, and the increase in their service life are substantial economic benefits for companies.
Energy efficiency
Power factor correction reduces the “useless” inductive currents required by the loads that negatively impact the whole electrical network supply chain: generation, transmission, and distribution. Power factor correction provides an essential contribution to the energy efficiency, both of the user’s electric plant and of the electric network as a whole.
Energy quality
Power factor correction technology reduces voltage drops and, if well sized, attenuates the risk of resonances that cause annoying current distortions. In the case of plants supplied with MV, the power factor correction makes it possible to reduce the overload of the MV/LV transformer, avoiding risks of distortion of secondary voltage.
Choosing the size of the power factor correction equipment is preceded by an accurate preliminary assessment of the plant’s design data and, where possible, an analysis of the electricity bills.
The type of power factor correction must be chosen depending on the harmonic distortion rate of the plant’s current (THDIR%) and the ratio between reactive power (in kvar) of the power factor correction equipment to be installed and the apparent power (in kVA) of the MV/LV transformer.
Use our power factor correction calculator to find the most suitable capacitor bank power for your needs.
Standard power factor correction is used in plants that do not have either strongly deformed currents nor resonance issues. If, in the plant, the presence of harmonic distortions is sensitive, we recommend the solutions with strengthened capacitors.
Power factor correction with blocking inductors is used when a current with a high harmonic content (THD) circulates in the electrical plant and/or in the presence of a high risk of resonances with the MV/LV transformer.
In these cases, in fact, the installation of power factor correction equipment without barrier inductors can cause a rapid degradation of the capacitors and cause dangerous electrical and mechanical stresses in the plant’s power components. The barrier inductors protect the capacitors from harmonic distortions and exclude the risk of resonances, leaving, however, the harmonic content of the plant’s current unaltered.
