POWER QUALITY DEFINITIONS
1. Power Factor Error
Power Parity is when current and voltage are present together and in time. Power Factor Error (PFE) is when they are not. The use of motors and transformers will cause electrical current to arrive late behind the voltage sine wave and some waste occurs. If electrical current becomes even more delayed, then the PFE is worse and more electricity is wasted. We still pay, however, for the wasted energy. Correcting this condition is an economic as well as energy saving. The average factory is paying at least 10% for lost electricity it never got to use.
2. Harmonic Distortion
In the U.S., Harmonic Distortion is defined as any electrical frequency that is not 60 cycles per second. Today, we find hundreds of other electrical frequencies which are created by all our new electronic devices. These other frequencies added together are defined as Total Harmonic Distortion, (THD) This is the cause of real damage with no benefit at all. High frequency distortion will destroy the insulation in a capacitor, heat up motors, breakdown transformers, destroy circuits, and cause problems with everything that uses electricity. It can even make the ground circuit dangerous. NEC safety standard is 2.8% THD or less. Anything more is causing harm to equipment and is a health hazard.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE POWER QUALITY WITHOUT CORRECTING BOTH PROBLEMS!!!
ONE DISTORTION IS AFFECTED BY THE OTHER. THEY ARE INTERRELATED.
THE PRICE OF CORRECTION IS LESS THAN THE EXPENSE OF THE LOST POWER.
1. Power Factor Error
Power Parity is when current and voltage are present together and in time. Power Factor Error (PFE) is when they are not. The use of motors and transformers will cause electrical current to arrive late behind the voltage sine wave and some waste occurs. If electrical current becomes even more delayed, then the PFE is worse and more electricity is wasted. We still pay, however, for the wasted energy. Correcting this condition is an economic as well as energy saving. The average factory is paying at least 10% for lost electricity it never got to use.
2. Harmonic Distortion
In the U.S., Harmonic Distortion is defined as any electrical frequency that is not 60 cycles per second. Today, we find hundreds of other electrical frequencies which are created by all our new electronic devices. These other frequencies added together are defined as Total Harmonic Distortion, (THD) This is the cause of real damage with no benefit at all. High frequency distortion will destroy the insulation in a capacitor, heat up motors, breakdown transformers, destroy circuits, and cause problems with everything that uses electricity. It can even make the ground circuit dangerous. NEC safety standard is 2.8% THD or less. Anything more is causing harm to equipment and is a health hazard.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE POWER QUALITY WITHOUT CORRECTING BOTH PROBLEMS!!!
ONE DISTORTION IS AFFECTED BY THE OTHER. THEY ARE INTERRELATED.
THE PRICE OF CORRECTION IS LESS THAN THE EXPENSE OF THE LOST POWER.