Power factor correction
What is Power Factor? Why is it important? And how does it affect your business?
If you consume electrical energy within the United Kingdom you will be very aware of the substantial increases in energy costs during 2005. Electricity costs are predicted to continue to rise during 2006 and therefore energy saving initiatives within a company has never been so important. Power factor control is an important method of ensuring your company consumes electricity efficiently.
Many electricity companies charge a penalty tariff for using electrical energy inefficiently. This is based around the power factor value calculated from your electricity usage. Power factor and thus your consumption can be improved with the use of Power factor correction units containing corrective capacitors.
Why improve my Power Factor?
Improving a systems power factor will reduce the total power consumed by an electrical installation and will provide the following benefits:
- Financial saving – By ensuring electrical losses are at a minimum, electricity costs are reduced.
- Extended equipment life – Lower line currents reduces the electrical stress on cables and electrical components.
- Increase site load capacity – Provide additional capacity for other loads to be connected.
- Can ensure that Authorised Supply capacities are not exceeded.
- Environmental benefit – Reduced power consumption by consumers means less Carbon Dioxide emissions at the power station.
Frequently, when carrying out our free energy audits, we find that Power Factor Correction is either not installed, where it would be most beneficial. Or the existing Power Factor Correction equipment is faulty or not working to its intended potential. Power Factor Correction and its control is sometimes a subject which is not always fully understood. Often the equipment indicates that the unit is working correctly, when in fact the capacitors are open circuit, line fuses blown or operating significantly below their rating. In many cases, the unit’s capacitors have failed completely.
The loss of effective Power Factor Correction is very expensive because the savings it is designed to provide are permanently lost;
All capacitors have a finite life. When failure occurs no apparent warning is given and discovery may only be apparent when penalty charges, or worst still a total electrical system failure occurs. From a financial point of view it may well be that internal contactors operate, and capacitor “energised” indicator lights will still switch on and off, but the capacitors may not be operational and may remain undiscovered until dramatic increases in electricity charges are noticed.
In today’s economical marketplace, many companies find themselves with a condensed workforce. Subsequently, routine inspection and maintenance of equipment and especially Power Factor Correction equipment is often not carried out at all.
Modern networks which contain computer operated machinery, Variable Speed Control, i.e. Inverters or VSD’s, high fluorescent lighting load or Switch mode power supplies are frequently subjected to adverse system transients and harmonics, which make regular maintenance of Power Factor Correction even more essential
The Solution:
Annual maintenance of power factor correction is recommended, particularly where systems have been designed to ensure that Maximum Demand or Authorised Capacity levels are not exceeded. EMTAC Ltd offers a comprehensive inspection and service program, and will be pleased to provide a quotation to suit your requirements.
The benefits include:
On site visits are conducted by competent, highly skilled and experienced engineers.
Power Factor Correction maintenance is affordable and cost effective.
One off or a termed contract can be designed to suit your requirement.
A full written report is provided upon completion, detailing the full inspection, tests and recommendations.
Reports can be provided in electronic format, CD ROM or bound hard copy for your maintenance records.
