5 Facilities That Could Benefit From Power Factor Correction

You may have heard that your facility could benefit from power factor correction. But what exactly is power factor correction? We will be able to answer that question along with help you to decide whether your facility would benefit from power factor correction devices being installed. 

What Is Power Factor Correction?

Power factor correction (PFC) is the process undertaken to help improve the power factor of an electrical circuit by reducing the amount of reactive power. This is done by installing a capacitor and an inductor.  

A capacitor is fitted to store energy in an electric field, and an inductor is fitted to store energy in a magnetic field.  By adding these devices, it’ll help to lower electricity costs and reduce wear and tear on components. Overall, PFC will improve the efficiency of certain electrical systems.

As previously mentioned, there are some facilities that could benefit from having power factor correction devices installed, so we have listed 5 of these facilities below.

Facilities That Could Benefit From PFC:

1. Manufacturing Industries

In industries where motors are used to power machinery, such as in manufacturing, they could benefit from power factor correction. If PFC devices are installed in the manufacturing industry, there will be an increase in available power for future expansion as well as a reduction in the availability required.  

2. Automotive Industries

In industries where welding equipment is used, such as in the development or manufacturing of motor vehicles, power factor correction can help reduce the loss of power, making more use of available power, and so cutting down the cost of electricity. Additionally, installing PFC devices would help to reduce flicker, which are unwanted dips voltage that cause lights to flicker and other power quality issues.

3. Hospitals

Installing PFC devices in establishments where large LED loads are present, such as in hospitals where they’re used by registered diagnostic cardiac sonographers, could help improve power efficiency which then reduces the costs of hospital expansion by allowing more wards and theatres to be run from the same supply.

4. Shops

Shops will see an increase in the sustainability of their chillers if PFC devices are installed. This is because there will be less wear and tear on components which will also reduce costly outgoings. 

5. Banks And Office Buildings

In places where large computer networks are used, such as in office buildings and banks, PFC can improve the efficiency of the cooling systems which will help the computers to run better and speed up work performance.

How Would Each Facility Apply PFC? 

PFC can either be designed at the consultancy stage of the facility’s design or, more commonly, after the site is up and running. Specification of PFC can be done either using a load schedule or, to achieve more accuracy, after a period of load monitoring which will allow the facility’s electrical characteristics and requirements to be properly ascertained.

If you would like to know more about how power factor correction devices could be installed in your facility, then contact us, and we’d be happy to help.