Power Factor Improvement using “Enerlly” Analytics

Power Factor Improvement using “Enerlly” Analytics

Power factor (PF) is the most important parameter in all type of electrical distribution systems. It is expressed as the ratio of real power(kW) to apparent(kVA) power delivered to the system. PF tells you how effectively the incoming power is being been used in the electrical system. The ideal power factor is unity (1.0 Lag) which means that all the energy supplied by the source is consumed by the load. PF lesser than one means that extra power (more kVA demand) is required to achieve the actual task at hand. Power factors are usually stated as "leading" or "lagging". Capacitive loads are leading (current leads voltage), and inductive loads are lagging (current lags voltage).

The client in Pune was facing major issues with regards to PF. As the state Electricity Board in the state (MSEB) has adopted kVAH billing, it has become more critical to maintain the PF at optimum level i.e at 0.999 or unity (1.0) in Lagging. On an industrial level, it is difficult to keep a check on PF and the status of capacitor banks on a daily basis. The client was losing around Rs.25,000 per month as a penalty due to the kVAH increase, which normally goes unnoticed in the monthly bill due to low PF at ~0.97 Leading. Since the installation and usage of “Enerlly” IoT EMAS, a client has now successfully improved the power factor at ~0.999 Lag and is saving ~Rs.20,000 per month. “Enerlly” analytics provides actual PF value along with exact capacitor size to be updated in order to maintain optimum PF at APFCs of the plant. “Enerlly” sends an alert/Notification message on dropping of set power factor value on a plant level and on a transformer main incomer level.

With minimal investment on the capacitor bank, (if required) power factor can be maintained at unity lagging. Due to optimum power factor, other power quality parameters like low voltage drop, high current at machine end/ plant level also improve along with reduced line losses.

Low PF leads to increased waste of electricity due to higher apparent power consumption. There is a penalty by DISCOMs to industrial units in the electricity bill if it is not maintained close to unity or above 0.995 on the lagging side. The coffee mug analogy simply visualises the PF usage in the electrical distribution system. Here, more Coffee is expected rather than froth i.e to gain more real power out of supplied power.

About Us: Enerlly is an organization rooted in industrial automation that deploys Internet-of-Things (IoT) based controllers and online platforms to create sustainable eco-conscious brands through real-time energy monitoring, energy data analytics, and consultancy Energy Auditors.