Design optimization techniques for improved power factor and energy efficiency for industrial processes

Abstract

Poor power quality such as reduced power factor and high levels of harmonic distortion create a number of problems for electrical utilities, and large industrial consumers are typically charged accordingly. Reduced power factor is such a common problem based on typical loads that techniques are frequently applied to improve power factor when it is below certain levels. Traditional methods for improving power factor typically include adding power factor correction capacitors to supply the reactive volt-ampere reactive (VARs) near the location that inductive loads are absorbing VARs. In addition to inductive loads creating reduced lagging power factor, power electronic devices often reduce power factor similarly. Power electronic devices have become so commonly used that sophisticated techniques have been developed to improve power factor and reduce current total harmonic distortion for such devices. A common technique utilized for processes that must provide a large range of possible voltages is to include additional transformer taps coupled with the power electronic devices. In addition to traditional methods for improving power factor, by careful consideration during the design phase of processes and load cycles that have a repetitive nature, power factor can be improved even further. Such a technique uses a computer algorithm approach to determine the ideal compromise of the relevant design parameters for improved energy efficiency and power factor.