Power Factor is a measure of the efficient use of power, the ratio of the Working Power to Apparent (or Total) Power. To determine power factor (PF), divide working power (kW) by apparent power (kVA). … Utilities often penalize customers for low power factor as an incentive to compensate for this inefficiency. Click the video below for a visual understanding
POWER FACTOR CALCULATIONS
Single phase circuit calculation Power factor calculation:
PF = |cos φ| = 1000 × P(kW) / (V(V) × I(A))
Apparent power calculation:
|S(kVA)| = V(V) × I(A) / 1000
Reactive power calculation:
Q(kVAR) = √(|S(kVA)|2 – P(kW)2)
Power factor correction capacitor’s capacitance calculation:
C(F) = 1000 × Q(kVAR) / (2πf(Hz)×V(V)2)
Three phase circuit calculation For three phase with balanced loads:
Calculation with line to line voltage
Power factor calculation:
PF = |cos φ| = 1000 × P(kW) / (√3 × VL-L(V) × I(A))
Apparent power calculation:
|S(kVA)| = √3 × VL-L(V) × I(A) / 1000
Reactive power calculation:
Q(kVAR) = √(|S(kVA)|2 – P(kW)2)
Power factor correction capacitor’s capacitance calculation:
C(F) = 1000 × Q(kVAR) / (2πf(Hz)×VL-L(V)2)
Calculation with line to neutral voltage
Power factor calculation:
PF = |cos φ| = 1000 × P(kW) / (3 × VL-N(V) × I(A))
Apparent power calculation:
|S(kVA)| = 3 × VL-N(V) × I(A) / 1000
Reactive power calculation:
Q(kVAR) = √(|S(kVA)|2 – P(kW)2)
Power factor correction capacitor’s capacitance calculation:
C(F) = 1000 × Q(kVAR) / (3×2πf(Hz)×VL-N(V)2)