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Company profile Established in 1948 Exclusively manufacture capacitor banks and harmonic filters Manufacturer of low and medium voltage products: Power Factor correction system Harmonic Filter system Sales throughout United States, Canada, South America, etc.
Power Factor - Ratio of working power (kw) to apparent power (kva) - Measures how effectively electrical energy is being used PF = kw/kva kva kvar kw
Power Factor - Power factor = 100 / 142 = 70% 142kVA 100 kvar 100kW
Power Factor - Power factor = 100 / 105 = 95% - At 70% PF, it takes 35% more current to do the same useful work!! 105kVA 33 kvar 100kW
Power Factor & Buck of beer!!
Utilities - Many utilities will penalize their customer for power factor less than 0.90 or 0.95 - Utility has to provide transformers, power lines to provide the total kva - The penalty can disappear of the customer provides their own kvar - CAPACITORS
Capacitors - Capacitors are kvar generators - Reactive current is provided internally to the system as opposed to drawn from the utility - Eliminates the penalty on your power bill - Typical payback is 1 2 years for a 20-year product
Electrical network without capacitor Active Power (kw) Reactive Power (kvar) Apparent Power (kva) Utility Motor load
Electrical network with capacitor Active Power (kw) Reactive Power (kvar) Apparent Power (kva) Utility Motor load Power Cap
Why Install Capacitors? - Reduce electric utility bills - Increase system capacity - Improve voltage stability - Reduced losses through out system
Monthly Savings from utility bill
Solution to increase PF to 92% Propose an automatic capacitor bank: Type: PowerVar Required power: 589 kvar Suggested power: 600 kvar Number of steps: 6 Power per step: 100
Increased system capacity - 500kVA transformer operating at 480kVA. PF = 0.75 - Want to add a production line and increase load by 25% from 360kW to 450kW - Currently draws 480kVA at PF = 75% - Working power available is only 360kW due to poor PF - You could - Upsize transformer to 750kVA - Or improve PF and free up more capacity in the existing transformer
Before & After PF chart
Increased system capacity - Improving PF to 0.95 would free up kw on the transformer - To increase PF from 0.75 to 0.95, we go to multiplier table - 450kW x 0.553 = 248.8kVAR - Install a 250kVAR capacitor bank at about $2600 material cost
Improved Voltage Conditions - Low voltage cause by excessive current draw results in lower efficiency from motors - As PF goes down - Line current increases - Dragging voltage further down - Adding capacitors to your system will improve motor performance and increase motor life
Capacitor selection as per motor size
Capacitor Location Now that you have decided that a capacitor would provide benefit, where to you put it? At the load - Cap sized for specific motor - Switches with the motor - Reduced line losses - Increased system capacity - Motors and caps can be relocated together - BUT higher installation and maintenance cost Good where you have a few large inductive loads
Capacitor Location At the feeder or substation - Lower cost per kvar - Improves total plant PF covers all motors and inductive loads - Automatic switching matches kvar required to kvar supplied Use where you have widely distributed inductive loads (i.e. small motors) Often some combination of fixed and variable is optimal
PowerCap Low Voltage Range 2 400 kvar Network voltage 208v 600v Other voltage available Type Dry or wet Phase 1 or 3 phase Option Contactor (semi-automatic) External Fuse Blown Fuse Indicator NEMA 3R Enclosure
Power Cap Medium Voltage Capacity 25 kvar and up Network voltage Type 2400v 4160v Other voltage available Wet Phase 3 Phase Option Fuse
PowerVar Low Voltage Capacity 50 1200 kvar Network voltage Option 208v 600v Other voltages available NEMA 12 & 3R enclosure Main breaker Main disconnect Main fuse disconnect Blown fuse indicator Others
PowerVAR - Medium Voltage Capacity 100kVAr and up Network voltage 2400v 35,000v Other voltages available Option NEMA 12 & 3R enclosure Main breaker Main disconnect Main fuse disconnect Grounding switch Unbalance protection Others
Power Factor Controller Power Survey (Standard) PF indication and number of step Energization sequence - FIFO Manual and automatic selection Up to 14 steps Alarm if harmonic are overloaded Etc. Nokian (Optional) As per Power Survey and more: Up to 12 steps Indication of PF, current, THD Etc.
Installation of a PowerCap and/or PowerVar
Harmonics!! Capacitors do not cause harmonics, but they can aggravate existing conditions Harmonic producing equipment: Variable frequency drives DC Drive Welder UPS equipment AC & DC rectifier Welders
Harmonics!! Capacitors and transformers can create a dangerous resonant condition Harmonics can be amplified many multiples if they are at the resonant frequency Capacitors act as a low impedence drain for the harmonics and typically fail prematurely Rule of thumb is that if 20% or more of total load is non-linear, then harmonic filtering should be used.
Harmonics!! What to do? I require capacitors to improve my PF, but I do have potential or existing harmonic issues Can use harmonically hardened caps Capacitors can be harmonically filtered with iron core reactors Filter is tuned to provide capacitance at the primary frequency and inductance at higher harmonics Filtered units (especially automatic) can get very expensive
Harmonics!! What to do? If a known harmonic environment, a harmonic / demand analysis is best
Harmonics and a river! Ideal condition Clean water Electrical network without harmonic Line Pump Motor Capacitor
Harmonic and a river! Non-ideal condition Polluted water Polluted electrical network Filter in series Reactor in series Water pump Protection of the installation Capacitor
PowerCap Filter Low Voltage Capacity 50 400 kvar Network voltage Option 208v 600v Other voltages available NEMA 12 & 3R enclosure Main breaker Main disconnect Main fuse disconnect Blown fuse indicator
PowerCap Filter Medium Voltage Capacity 50 500 kvar Network voltage 2400v 4160v Other voltages available Type Oil Phase 3 Phase Option Contactor
PowerVar Filter Low Voltage Capacity 50 1200 kvar Network voltage 208v 600v Other voltages available Option NEMA 12 & 3R enclosure Main breaker Main disconnect Main fuse disconnect Blown fuse indicator
PowerVAR Filter Medium Voltage Capacity 100 kvar and up Front view Voltage 2400v 35,000v Other voltages available Option NEMA 12 & 3R enclosure Main breaker Main disconnect Main fuse disconnect Ground switch Unbalance protection Others Rear view
Industrial Loads Industrial customers Type Typical PF Printer 70% Plastic 70% Automobile 65% Saw mill 75% Pulp & Paper 70% Cement plant 70% Food & Process 80% Fisheries 80% Etc
Commercial Loads Commercial customers Type Typical PF Office tower 85% Shopping center 80% Grocery store 80% Arena 75% Pump station 75% Hospital 80% Etc
HOW DO I START? For basic power factor correction to reduce utility bills, gather Utility bills for prior 12 months PF charge is not always apparent. We can find it. One line of the system Understanding of potential harmonic issues Is non-linear load > 20% of total load? Gather all motor information for specific motor load PF improvement
MAINTENANCE Caps operate warm to the touch. If cool, investigate further Check fuses on regular basis Blown fuse indicating lights No moving parts on a capacitor
SUMMARY Capacitors can be useful for applications where poor power factor Is resulting in penalties from local utility Is stealing capacity from your system Is dragging down your voltage and stealing efficiency from your motors Is causing I2R losses throughout your system Be careful in harmonic environments to ensure long and happy life of your caps and electrical system
COME VISIT US If you would like to discuss further, come see Patrick Lyons at booth 216 TE / Power Survey booth THANK YOU!