What is Power Factor? Power Protection Products, Inc. What is Power Factor White Paper by Dan Maxcy l 2013 Update 877-393-1223 I www.p3-inc.com What is Power Factor? P3 Whitepaper WHAT IS POWER FACTOR? By Dan Maxcy 1993 I Revised 2013 Power Factor is the ratio of Active Power to Total Power: Active Power = Power Factor Total Power Active power is what we normally see as the electricity used in our facility. It is measured in kW (Kilowatts). This is normally what the power company charges against. Total power is what our equipment needs to be sized for in our facility. It is measured in KVA (Kilovoltamps). The Power Company may charge extra money (penalties) for a large KVA. The large KVA is usually stated in Power Factor. Total Power is a combination of Active Power and Reactive Power. Reactive Power takes into consideration the energy needed to build all the magnetic fields in a facility. Your facility’s equipment must be sized large enough to handle the extra energy needed to produce these magnetic fields. Magnetic fields are produced in ALL current-carrying equipment in a facility. This includes Switchboards, Panelboards, Busway, wiring, all equipment, and especially MOTORS. Motors have thousands of feet of wire, which add greatly to a facility’s Reactive Power. Let me take a minute and talk about these magnetic fields. In an AC (Alternating Current) system, current flow changes direction 60 times every second. This is called 60 Hertz (Hz). Each time the current changes direction, a magnetic field is developed around ALL current-carrying parts of a circuit. This includes all the wire in your facility and all motors. The energy needed to produce this Magnetic Field is real. You don’t see it on your energy bill because the power is given back to the circuit in each quarter cycle. The extra current flow is there. Therefore, you and your power company must size equipment large enough to handle the extra energy needed to produce these magnetic fields. This is why many power companies add an extra charge (penalty) to facilities with a large amount of reactive power. 1 ©2013 Power Protection Products, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used, photocopied, transmitted, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www.p3-inc.com Rev 2013 P3 Whitepaper What is Power Factor? What is a good Power Factor? Power Factor is the ratio of Active Power to Total Power. When Reactive Power is large, Total Power increases. With the formula below, we now see that when Total Power increases, the Power Factor decreases. Active Power Total Power Example: 1000 kW = Power Factor = .9 Power Factor 1100 kVA .9 to 1 is considered a good power factor. What is a bad Power Factor? If we increase our Total Power. Example: 1000 kW 1500 kVA = .6 Power Factor Anything less than .9 can be considered a bad power factor. Your Power Company may charge you or you may have internal problems in your facility with Power Factors less than .9. How do I correct for a bad Power Factor? The best way solve a low Power Factor problem is to install Power Factor Correction Capacitors. These Power Factor Correction Capacitors capture the energy from the collapsing magnetic field and give the energy back on the next quarter cycle. In summary With these capacitors storing the energy from the magnetic fields the Power Company does not have to supply extra power; therefore, you do not get penalized. With proper placement of these Power Factor Correction capacitors you can control your facility’s power needs and reduce the costs of equipment to handle large Reactive Power Loads. ©2013 Power Protection Products, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used, photocopied, transmitted, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www.p3-inc.com Rev 2013 2 P3 & PQU Power Protection Products, Inc. (P3) P3 specializes in representing only the best products and services that enhance power quality. By specializing the power quality, we can provide our customers with in-depth analysis, service and solutions that will meet the needs of our customers and end users. P3 works closely with your local market suppliers and vendors in order to provide you with convenient purchasing options, sales channels and follow-up service. We act as an extension of your current vendor base and work closely with your local market leaders in the power quality and electrical equipment area. In today's world of sensitive electronic equipment, power protection is no longer an option; it's a necessity. Power Protection Products, Inc. provides the highest quality products and services available today that will protect and maintain your power supply as well as reduce your downtime, equipment failure and maintenance costs. Learn more at PQU! www.powerqualityuniversity.com Power Protection Products, Inc. is "showing you how" with Power Quality University (PQU). Power Quality University brings real world electrical knowledge into the classrooms. Students are taught the importance of power quality and the many factors which go into ensuring and providing good power quality. The instructors who teach at PQU are highly qualified professionals and are all experts in the field. Upon completion of a PQU program, students can obtain Continuing Education Credits (CEU's). PQU is just one more way that Power Protection Products, Inc. is affecting the electrical community in a positive way. For more information about our service plans and support services contact us at: 877-393-1223 1207 S. 75th Street, Omaha, NE 68124 www.p3-inc.com