Short Summary
Power Quality and
Energy Conservation Through Power Factor Correction
Arthur Iversen
99-18
EISG Project Title: Power Quality and
Energy Conservation Through Power Factor Correction
EISG Grant Number: 99-18
PIER Area: Industrial/Agriculture/Water End-Use Efficiency
Principal Investigator: Arthur Iversen,
Contact Information: (408) 354-7972 aiversen@jps.net
Organization: Spinel LLC
Grant Amount: $75,000
Grant Term: 12 Months
Project Description:
The purpose of this project is to research the feasibility of developing a low cost, solid state circuit using Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) capable of maintaining optimal power factor in the presence of random multiple motor loads that would be typical in light industry settings. This project proposes an innovative way of paralleling the IGBTs that enable the system to be scaled up at low cost. A prototype system will be built and tested. Unity power factor occurs when voltage and current both cross 0 at the same time within each cycle of alternating current (power factor 1.0). End user motor load inductance causes the voltage and current to fall out of sync (non-unity power factor), and if not corrected, more electrical current is required to operate the motors.
Proposed Outcomes:
· Subscale prototype demonstration of IGBT power factor correction system.
· System design that can be scaled up to a 100kv capacity.
Anticipated Benefits:
· Provides a cost effective solution for small to medium size industries to install power factor correction systems that can significantly reduce their electrical costs. Electric motors account for 58% of all electrical consumption. Considering that the average industrial motor operates at a power factor of .85 this equates to about $180 million/year in avoidable electrical costs to California end users.
· Wide spread use of power factor correction reduces system wide current draw thus reducing the need for expansion of electrical distribution infrastructure. The faster response time of IGBTs over existing Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) technology results in greater protection for the end user against switching transients and system resonance which can cause equipment damage.
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