Power Factor Correction vs. Power Factor Optimization
Power factor correction (PFC) equipment is usually installed near the main electrical service as it enters a building to reduce any power factor (PF) penalty charges that are sometimes imposed by the utility company tariffs. The electric supplier delivers “dirty power” (low PF) and basically forced you to clean it up or pay a penalty charge. But like all capacitors, they only work from where they are installed back to the electricity supplier or the source. Capacitors installed here do not help the customer in removing I²R losses (Amps² x Resistance = Power) nor the inefficiency and wastefulness of the motors. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires all electrical components to be at least 125% over sized to prevent fires and injury. So it is easy to conclude that all systems have significant losses. PFC equipment is considered a 20th Century technology and are mainly designed and installed to help the electric company save money.
The KVAR® Energy Controller (EC) systems are pre-engineered and custom built and installed on the demand side of electrical systems as close to the motor or inductive loads as possible; on a motor by motor basis. By installing these customized systems at that location, it greatly increases the power factor to unity, reduces amps and watts to the meter (cash register) that saves the customer money!
So even if the PF coming into the building is over 90%, it does not relate to the individual motors because of the I²R losses and the inefficiently of the motors and the electromagnetic fields (EMF) that they develop. The KVAR® EC systems store the reactive power to create the EMF around the inductive windings of a motor. As motors operate, reactive power is “pulled” and “pushed” to and from the KVAR® EC system by the motor at 60 cycles per second. The KVAR® EC system stores & releases to motors what they need to function more efficiently. The KVAR® EC systems remove the I²R losses, increase the efficiency of the motors and removes the PF penalty charges if they are imposed. Proof of this is done with PF meters and our optimizing equipment on “live” loads and also a reduction is shown at the utility company’s meter (cash register). The motors will also run cooler so they will last longer which also affects the bottom line dollar for the customer.
Moreover, the motors still get the proper amps and volts that they were designed to do work with but the electric meter (cash register) measures a drastically different number and savings because of the precisely engineered capacitors are installed very close to the motors; usually on the load side of the contractor, the disconnect, or the MCC.
This 21st Century technology is called Power Factor Optimization and is only available through Kvar Energy Savings, Inc. with their patented methodology and apparatus. In a few minutes on live loads, a qualified and trained KVAR® professional can accurately determine to an exact science how much capacitance is required to optimize the inductive loads to unity. This creates an ideal balance resulting in a significant reduction in electricity usage which facilitates a maximum savings on electricity costs with a rapid ROI. This information is then charted into our exclusive software for the pre-engineered systems to be customized for the client’s equipment.
