Automatic Power Factor Panel

APFC Panel or Automatic Power Factor Control Panels are mainly used for improvement of Power Factor and maintain power factor using Power APFC Panels within admissible and permissible range of Electricity Board . Generally desirable power factor range is between 0.97 – 0.99 lag.

Importance of Power Factor in an electrical system can be assessed having conceptual knowledge of basic terminologies as mentioned below . 

Actual power : In an electrical system the power flow has two components, one flow from source to load and able to perform the work at load known as KW or actual power.

Reactive power  :, The reactive power is which cannot perform any work and it is generated due to the delay between voltage and current basically termed as phase angle.

Apparent Power : There is one another term as  apparent power which are the sum of actual power and  reactive power, It is denoted as KVAR. 

Thus , expression becomes ; 

· Apparent Power is expressed as  = Actual Power ( KW )  + Reactive Power ( KVAR)

· Total KVA = KW + KVAR

· Power factor =  Actual Power ( KW ) / Reactive Power ( KVA )  =  [KW /(KW+KVAR)]

In an ideal system KVAR would be very small and KW and KVA would be almost equal, so we always try to design an electrical system with power factor 1 than only we may be able to get the maximum output from a system. Power Factor : Cos Ɵ is power factor angle i.e. Cos Ɵ = KW/KVA

Because of undermentioned advantages we need to sustain power factor between 0.97-0.99 lag 

Lower Utility Charges :

·        Reducing Peak KW billing demand

·        Eliminating the power factor penalty

Increased System Capacity and Reduced System Losses in an existing Electrical System

By adding capacitors (KVAR generating device ) to the system, the power factor is improved and the KW capacity of the system is increased.

For example, a 2500 KVA transformer with an 80% power factor provides 2000 KW (800 KVAR) of power to the main bus. 2500 KVA = (2000 KW)2 + ( ? KVAR)2 KVAR = 1500

By increasing the power factor from existing 80 % to desired 90%, more KW can be supplied for the same amount of KVA. 2500 KVA = (2250 KW)2 + ( ? KVAR)2 KVAR = 1090

The KW capacity of the system increases to 2250  KW and the utility supplies only 1090  KVAR. Uncorrected power factor causes power system losses to existing distribution system. By improving the power factor, aforesaid losses can henceforth  be reduced. With the current rise in energy cost , increased efficiency is very much essential , and with lower system losses, we are also able to add additional load to the existing power system.

APFC Panel manufacturers can be a prospective electrical consultant playing major role in stabilizing Industrial power factor thus acting as an active contributor for saving Electricity