How Does Your Capacitor Work?: Panels
How Does Your Capacitor Work?: Panels
How Does Your Capacitor Work?: Panels
http://www.madhavcapacitors.com/technical/howapfc.htm
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APFC Panels
A load & therefore its KVAR are in a dynamic state - generally. A matching KVAR output of a
capacitor bank must also be dynamic i.e. must adjust itself-instantly to its requirement, if one is to
obtain a uniform &'set' p.f. all along. This is best achieved by an automatic control that switches in
& out, segments of a designed capacitor bank. A control panel serving this purpose is called on
APFC panel or Automatic Power Factor Controlling panel. It controls the load power factor by
sensing various available parameters.
A) Sensing Parameters :1. Current - Sensing based APFC :- The current magnitude through a feeder or bus is sensed and
fed to a relay. As this magnitude crosses a set band-width, the relay operates a power controlling a
section of a capacitor bank. This is the simplest and possibly the cheapest relay. It has a
disadvantage of functioning with no reference to the actual load power factor - but assuming it.
2. Power Factor Sensing based APFC :- This relay senses the start of the voltage current wave
forms on a given feeder & measures the time difference between them. It then converts this into a
p.f. & compares this with a set value. Upon finding a difference, it operates the power contactor.
This type of relay is most widely used. It has an advantage of being able to show the laod p.f. on
an indicating meter. It's disadvantage :- It has no relation to the load magnitude & it's KVAR
requirement. It can lead to severe hunting.
3. KVAR Sensing based APFC :- This relay senses the magnitudes of both the voltage & current
wave forms & also the time or phase difference between them. It then calculates the load KVAR &
compares these with a possible combination of sections within a capacitor bank and operates their
controlling contractors to add the required capacitor KVAR to the electrical system. This is the most
sensitive relay - capable of obtaining maximum benefit out of a given capacitor bank.
It's disadvantages :- It is rather hard on the contractors and its related surge suppression
attachments.
B) Sizing of Capacitor Switching Blocks :1) Power Factors for the purposes of levying penalties are based on the monthly consumptions of
KVA-Hrs, KW-Hrs & KVAR-Hrs as recorded on a tri-vector meter. If the basic purpose of installing
capacitors is to stay safely above the penalty limit, then average power factor correction based on a
24 hour basis is sufficient and not an elaborate "instant to instant" p.f. correction. This helps one in
setting as wide a band-width as possible before changing a step. It prevents switching - too often.
It must be noted that KVA-Hrs and KVAR-Hrs do not subtract if excessive capacitor KVAR are
dumped into the system by over corrections into a leading zone - say part of the time. It records
this also as a low p.f. & subject to penalty. Besides, leading p.f.'s are unhealthy for capacitors &
the system itself.
a) A simple straight forward method of sizing the capacitor blocks would be to divide them equally
into targeted number of steps. Besides simplicity it has an advantage of standard sizes for
replacement of work out contractors, blown fuses etc. Many a designer favour this.
4/8/2011 10:04 AM
How Does
Your Capacitor Work ? : APFC Panels
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http://www.madhavcapacitors.com/technical/howapfc.htm
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b) In ambitious method of sizing the blocks, they are designed in a binary sequence so that a large
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of combinations is available for a given set of contactors etc. If the accessories are chosen
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properly, this can be an ideal method though slightly costlier than method (a) above.
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4/8/2011 10:04 AM
How Does
Your Capacitor Work ? : APFC Panels
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http://www.madhavcapacitors.com/technical/howapfc.htm
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4/8/2011 10:04 AM
How Does
Your Capacitor Work ? : APFC Panels
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http://www.madhavcapacitors.com/technical/howapfc.htm
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c) Use a special contactor with auxilliary contacts which introduce a starting resistance
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4) A discharge resistor on a capacitor reduces the residual voltage on it - after being switched off to
a safe value of 50 volts within less than a minute and readies it for re-switching should this be
required. If this resistance were to burn out, the re-switching will take place against a charged unit.
This will burn it out. It is highly essential to periodically check the condition of these externally
mounted discharge resistances.
5) Other Items : Main switch fuse is substituted by air-breakers for large banks. Draw - out type,
electrically operated breakers increase cost of a panel tremoundously.
6) Time Delay Relays : Time Delay Relays with an adjustable one minute delay should be
incorporated - both in APFC or Manual mode to prevent re-switching of a
contactor within less than one minute of switching it off.
What can go wrong in an APFC Panel.
1) Wrong connections to the Automatic Relay :
The C.T. feeding this relay is the mains CT & not the CT within the panel itself. The voltage
connection to the relay should be from the same phase from which the current is measured. These
relays are single phase relays.
2) Too narrow a band-width, per step :
The band-width can be set manually. A narrow band width leads to hunting between steps.
3) Contactor points welding together.
4) Discharge Resistor &/or choke coils burning out.
5) Time Delay Relays being bipassed or not working.
6) Failure of electronic components under the combined on slought of higher ambient temperature
and voltage surges - particularly for outdoor pole- mounted type of panels.
7) Improper ventilation, Loose cable joints & similar causes commonly found.
8) Unattended leaks on capacitors.
4/8/2011 10:04 AM