McGill Power Sales & Engineering, INC.

Power Factor Correction

Terry McGill
President
McGill Power Sales & Engineering Inc.

2007 Eaton Corporation. All rights reserved.

Agenda
What is power factor?
What are the costs of low power factor?
What are the solutions to low power factor?
Power factor correction selection considerations
Design considerations and pitfalls

Power factor definition

Power factor is the
ratio between the
real power and the
apparent power of an
electrical system

kVA
kVAr

kW

Real power = working power = kW

Apparent power = Volts x Amps = kVA
Reactive power = magnetizing power = kVAR
4

Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?

Foam/Fizz
Capacity (KVAR)
Liquid (KW)

Full
Capacity
(KVA)

Utility must generate, transmit, and

distribute active AND reactive power

If reactive power could come from

another source utility can reduce

Demonstration
Power Factor Demonstration Unit

2007 Eaton Corporation. All rights reserved.

Why Consider PFC?

PF correction provides many benefits:
Primary Benefit:
Reduced electric utility bill if there is a penalty
(a typical payback period is less than two years)

Other Benefits:
Increased system capacity
Improved voltage regulation
Reduced losses in transformers and cables
May reduce harmonics on the power system (with
harmonic filters)
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Where has all the money gone?

Energy
(kWh)
Demand
(kW)
PF Charges

+
10

Taxes

Typical Uncorrected Power Factor

Industry

Percent Uncorrected PF

Brewery

76-80

Cement

80-85

Chemical

65-75

Coal Mine

65-80

Clothing

35-60

Electroplating

65-70

Foundry

75-80

Forge

70-80

Hospital

75-80

Machine manufacturing

60-65

Metal working

65-70

Office building

80-90

Oil-field pumping

40-60

Paint manufacturing

55-65

Plastic

75-80

Stamping

60-70

Steelworks

65-80

11Textile

65-75

Low PF typically results from

unloaded or lightly loaded motors
Unloaded motor PF = .20
Loaded motor rated PF = .85

Typical Sources of Low Power Factor

Reactive power is required by many loads to
provide magnetizing current for:
Motors
Power transformers
Welding machines
Electric arc furnaces
Inductors
Lighting ballasts

12

Cost to end user or consumerUtility fees and surcharges

There is no free lunch!!
Many utilities pass on
the extra costs they
incur through
penalties, surcharges
or other methods
Methods of recovering
these costs vary with
each utility and can be
confusing to customers
13

Where do PF charges appear on a bill?

Explicit
Power Factor Penalty
Power Factor Adjustment
Power Factor Multiplier
Reactive Demand Charge
Calculated Demand
Billed Demand

14

Where do PF charges appear on a bill?

Shift to Temp 624 Model

15

Escalation in Electrical Energy Cost

Electrical Energy cost
has increased nearly
50% over the last 10
years.

Currently the PF
adjustment is being
increased.

6.5

Price/KWH (cents)

The rate of increase

has accelerated in the
past few years.

Industrial Electrical Energy Cost by Year

6
5.5
5
4.5
4
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year

Source Energy Information Administration

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Cost savings due to increased

capacity
Correcting poor power
factor can significantly
reduce the load on
transformers and
conductors and allow
for facility expansion
Transformers are rated
by kVA and must be
sized accordingly

17

Example increase capacity with

new transformer

Existing transformer is
500kVA
Plant needs to add new
production line of 75kW

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kVA = 500

kW = 400

kVAr =300

Existing plant has a

power factor of 0.80 or
80% PF

Example increase capacity with

new transformer
Cost to increase capacity to accommodate new
production
New transformer
next standard size 750kVA
Long lead-time

Plant shut down to add new transformer days?

Labor and materials to install new transformer
Upsize conductors for 750kVA transformer

Disposal of old transformer

19

Example increase capacity by

adding PFCC

20

Power Factor Correction

kVA = 412

kW =400

kVAr = 100

Power Factor Correction

and addition of 75kW
kVA = 485

kW =475

kVAr = 100

Correct power factor

from 80% PF to 97% PF
by adding 200kVAR
power factor correction
capacitor
Keep existing 500kVA
Add 75kW of new load
Existing 500kVA
transformer actually runs
cooler than before!!!!

Example increase capacity by

adding PFCC
Cost to increase capacity to accommodate new
production
New power factor correction capacitor
Minimal interruption to energize and start up new
capacitor system

21

How to correct poor power factor

2007 Eaton Corporation. All rights reserved.

Capacitor Selection
Capacitor selection issues (besides size)
Utility penalties
Installed cost, payback of equipment, and NPV
Load variability
Voltage regulation
Load requirements (Speed of changing PF)
Harmonic resonance

23

Effect of Location
R1

Resistive
Load

R2

Motor
Load
Place here for line loss
reduction and voltage
improvement
Place here for utility PF penalty

Place here for utility PF penalty

(utility owned transformer)
or
Place here to reduce losses in
transformer or free capacity
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LV Fixed Capacitor Banks

Designed for industrial and
commercial power systems
Lowest installed cost
var Range: 1 kvar to 400 kvar
208 Volts through 600 Volts AC
Must be harmonic free
environment

25

LV Switched (Automatic) PFC Capacitors Banks

Automatically sense changes in load
Automatic Controller
Steps of 50 kvar standard

Smaller wall mounted units are

available, and can be a real cost savings!

26

LV Harmonic Filtering Equipment

Provides similar PF
correction (as caps)
Avoid harmonic
capacitor interaction
problems
Filter harmonics
to reduce voltage
and current
distortion

27

MV Capacitors
Pole Mounted
These banks have exposed live parts and
are typically supported on a wood power
pole.

Rack Mounted
These banks have exposed live parts and
are supported on a steel structure. These
banks are usually located in fenced-in
substations.

Metal Enclosed or Pad Mounted

These banks are typically enclosed in a
steel enclosure and are usually located
within a fenced-in substation or
switchgear room.
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Cost of Power Factor Correction

TABLE 4
INSTALLED COST COMPARISON
OF POWER FACTOR CORRECTION EQUIPMENT

29

TYPE OF CORRECTION

INSTALLED COST,
$/KVAR

Fixed (LV motor applied)

$15

Fixed (LV)

$25

Fixed (MV)

$30

Switched (LV)

$50

Switched (MV)

$50

Static Switched (LV)

$75

Switched Harmonic Filter (LV)

$75

Switched Harmonic Filter (MV)

$60

Active Harmonic Filter (LV)

$150

Additional Application
considerations
Switching transients
Potential resonance

30

Capacitor switching transients

Capacitor energization (common event)
Voltage difference between system and capacitor
Capacitor voltage cannot change instantaneously
System voltage pulled nearly to initial capacitor
voltage
Inrush current as capacitor charges
Voltage overshoots and oscillation occurs

31

Harmonics
Definition
Steady state components of voltage and current at
higher frequencies than 60 Hz (or fundamental
frequency)

Causes
Nonlinear loads, normally electronic loads
In industrial facility, predominately motor drives (AC
or DC), also large UPSs, computer loads, rectifiers
These electronic loads draw non-sinusoidal current
All load current (particularly transformers and motors)
has some amount of harmonic content
32

Expected Harmonics
Source

Typical Harmonics*

6 Pulse Drive/Rectifier
12 Pulse Drive /Rectifier
18 Pulse Drive
Switch-Mode Power Supply
Fluorescent Lights
Arcing Devices
Transformer Energization

5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19

11, 13, 23, 25
17, 19, 35, 37
3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
2, 3, 4, 5, 7...
2, 3, 4

* Generally, magnitude decreases as harmonic order increases

H = NP+/-1
i.e. 6 Pulse Drive - 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19,
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Harmonic Resonance
If a capacitor exists on
the power system
AND
Harmonic producing
loads are in use
You MUST check for
harmonic resonance.
The Self Correcting Problem
Blown Fuses
Failed Capacitor

34

(Series and Parallel)

Harmonic Resonance - Solutions

1. Change the method of kvar compensation (harmonic
filter, active filter, etc.)
2. Change the size of the capacitor bank to overcompensate or under-compensate for the required kvar
and live with the ramifications (i.e. overvoltage or PF
penalty).

Natural System frequency of oscillation typically at 5th to 13th harmonic

35

When is resonance a concern ?

Several factors must converge simultaneously for
resonance to be a potential problem
1) P.F. correction kVAr >25% of xfmr kVA
2) Nonlinear load > 25% of xfmr kVA
3) Larger, fixed capacitance
Often, resonance effects exist to some degree, but is not
severe enough to cause problems

36

When is resonance not a concern ?

Resonance not generally a concern when:
Total kVAR <15% system kVA
Total nonlinear load <25% of system kVA
Adding capacitors to individual motors

37

How to know for sure?

Resonance will happen when:
Ht = (Sqrt ((xfmer kva / z)/kvar))
Ht = (Sqrt((1000/.058)/300)
Ht = (Sqrt(17,241/300))
Ht = (Sqrt (57.47))
Ht = 7.58

Record harmonic data.

Determine resonance points.

Compare to required kVAr.

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Questions

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Power Quality Experience Center and Lab

Overview of Lab and Capabilities
Purpose
To demonstrate and Test PQ
Problems and Solutions
Power Quality solutions, especially
harmonic solutions, are difficult to
understand
Demystify solutions mis-information and confusion regarding PQ and
energy savings

Equipment (Harmonic Related)

18 Pulse Drives

Passive (Fixed) Filters

HMTs

Passive (Switched) Filters

Active Filters

Active Rectifier (UPS)

Broadband Filters

Reactors

Link:http://www.eaton.com/EatonCom/Markets/Electrical/ServicesSupport/Experi
ence/index.htm Simply search on Google for Eaton Experience Center
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Thank You.

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