Understanding the Benefits of Power Factor Correction in Industrial Settings

For any electrical system running on AC, the dissipated power is not linear as with systems running on DC. This is because AC waves are sinusoidal, changing in magnitude and direction with time depending on the frequency of the current. Due to the presence of reactance, the current wave lags behind the voltage wave. As a result of that, the power in the circuit at any point is lower than the power input fed into the circuit. Power factor refers to the ratio of the actual power flowing in the circuit to the one expected. It is measured as a fraction of unity. The closer it is to unity, the lesser the loss.

The power factor tells us how much of the power supplied is successfully utilised and how much is lost as reactive power. Thus, a power factor of 0.8 implies that only 80% of the supplied power is used. When you do power factor correction, you increase the power factor by tackling the reactance using capacitors and inductors added to the circuit. Since industrial buildings utilise a huge quantity of power, the loss is also higher. Power correction helps bring it down. Caslec has expert industrial electricians who can fit your factory or warehouse in the correct manner for efficient power correction. Just get in touch with us to discuss further.

Why Should You Implement Power Factor Correction in Industrial Settings

With power factor correction, you enjoy multiple benefits as follows:

Greater Load-Carrying Capacity

A low power factor results in the electrical network drawing more power and hence, more current, through the circuit. Hence, your circuit would be exhausting more of its current carrying capacity than necessary. By correcting the power factor, you reduce the extra demand on the circuit. This allows you to add more loads to the circuit without having to upgrade your infrastructure.

Reduced Demand Tariff

Most commercial and industrial concerns are charged for their base load along with the maximum metered demand. The latter can be charged as the highest registered demand (kW) or a percentage of it (kVa), depending on whichever is larger. A lower power factor increases the kVa rating and ends up costing you more, something power factor correction can fix.

Lower Power Loss

The lower the power factor, the higher the power drawn by the network and thus, the current, and the greater the system loss, which is proportional to the current squared. By improving the power factor, you reduce the power loss in the system and save a lot of money on the electricity bill.

Lower Voltage Drop at Equipment

A lower power factor results in a higher current being drawn, as we have already discussed. Since the power rating of a machine or appliance cannot change, a voltage drop occurs due to the increase in current at the load to maintain the power limit. This can cause a lot of issues to the equipment and its performance, which can be avoided with power factor correction.

Greater Longevity of Network

A low power factor contributes to a higher voltage drop, as we just mentioned, which can cause the machine to not perform at its best capacity. Voltage drops also damage the machine in the long run. An increased current also results in a higher resistance, which heats the conductors and degrades the circuit.

More Environment-Friendly

When your network has a low power factor, it draws more power than it needs. Thus, when you add up the wasted power over a long period, you realise that a lot of fuel was wasted to feed your network. With power factor correction, you can reduce the demand on the power supply, save a lot of energy, and decrease fuel wastage as well as pollution.

No Power Factor Penalty

Some power suppliers charge a penalty from industrial facilities if their power factor is lower than a certain floor value. Due to induction motors and other equipment that lower the power factor are usually common in factories, it is a great idea to do power factor correction to prevent paying the penalty.

The hassle of Bulking Other Systems

If the power factor is too low, the current drawn by the circuit may become higher than what either the loads or the conductors can safely carry. You might have to get thicker wiring and upgrade to equipment with greater current capacity to accommodate the higher numbers. It is much easier and cheaper to get power factor correction equipment fitted.

Why Choose Caslec

Caslec is a market leader in electrical services and here is why:

Many Years of Experience

Caslec was set up in 1971 and has a track record of more than 50 years of exemplary service in Sydney and the surrounding suburbs. Our experience and knowledge have helped us provide high-quality services to all the residents and businesses of the area.

A Highly Professional Team

All our electricians are highly qualified, certified, and trained for the job. They have relevant experience in the field and give their all to ensure that every customer’s needs and expectations are met with full satisfaction.

Diverse Range of Services

We provide a wide array of services including electrical installations, commercial and industrial electrical services, maintenance and controls, variable speed drives, data and communications, lighting, energy management, flood lights installation, commercial LED lighting installation, test tagging, and much more from us.

Emergency Availability

It is quite a hassle and often a risk to get stuck with a problem in the circuit or a machine. You cannot let it aggravate further. Give us a call and we will be there as soon as we can to help you. We are available for emergency services whenever you want.

Accredited and Registered

Caslec tradesmen are certified as Level 2 electricians in Sydney. Moreover, we also have accreditations as a Category A Data Communications provider with the NSW Department of Commerce, a Level 2 Service Provider with Endeavour Energy, a Molex® Data cable Installation company, a National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) member, an Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia member, and an Australian Photographic Society member.

Hire a Qualified Electrician

Power factor correction is a delicate job that only certified experts like the electricians at Caslec can handle confidently.

Contact us for more details!