Equivalent capacitor for an inductor to make PF=1

In summary, placing a capacitor in parallel to an AC circuit reduces the power factor and some power generating AC equipment may complain (overload). To fix the power factor, an inductor must be placed in parallel. The same equation can be used to calculate the equivalent inductance for a given capacitance. The voltage rating of an inductor can be found by looking it up online.
  • #1
dE_logics
742
0
For some reason I had to apply a capacitor in parallel to an AC circuit which has reduced the power factor as a result some power generating AC equipments are complaining (overload).

Now I need to apply an inductor in parallel to fix that. For that I need a formula which gives me the equivalent inductance for some capacitance.

Thanks for the solution!
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
  • #2
The equation for Pf-correcting capacitance is derived by plugging the impedance of a capacitor into the equation for complex power. The Pf-correcting inductance can be calculated in the same way:

ZL=jωL
S={Vrms2}/{ZL}

substituting the first into the second:

QL={Vrms2}/{ωL}

L={Vrms2}/{ωQL}
 
  • #3
Whatever you did by placing the capacitor in will be undone by placing an inductor in parallel.
 
  • #4
If you now have capacitance in parallel with the load, and the PF is over compensated, then it is far better to reduce the capacitance than to add an inductor.

Your aim should be to select a capacitance that reduces the total current to a minimum, that will give a PF close to 1.00

I keep a set of various AC capacitors with a current meter, I can then select the appropriate value by measuring the total current with different capacitance values.
 
  • #5
Listen to Baluncore.
Beware of creating circuits that resonate at line frequency. They can cause destructive levels of current and voltage.
 
  • #6
dE_logics in OP said:
Now I need to apply an inductor in parallel to fix that.
You may find that you need to add inductance in series with the load, rather than in parallel as used with capacitor correction.

One problem that is often seen with power supplies that employ rectifier diodes charging a DC storage capacitor, is that the current flows only during voltage peaks. No matter how much capacitance is used in parallel to provide sinusoidal PF compensation, it cannot correct for the high frequency harmonics of the current pulse peaks.

To correct PF in that situation you need a PF corrected DC power supply that has a different input topology.

The addition of an inductor between the input rectifier and storage capacitor can make a difference to some existing systems, but that is usually more expensive than the newer switching PF corrected supplies.
 
  • #7
I may remove that capacitor, but only if I figure out what's an STR.
 
  • #8
From all inductors I'm seeing online, their voltage rating is now given.
 

1. What is an equivalent capacitor for an inductor?

An equivalent capacitor for an inductor is a theoretical component that has the same effect on a circuit as an inductor, but with the opposite reactance. It is used in power factor correction to balance out the inductive reactance of an inductive load.

2. How does an equivalent capacitor help to achieve a power factor of 1?

An equivalent capacitor is used to offset the inductive reactance of an inductive load. When connected in parallel with the inductor, it creates a capacitive reactance that cancels out the inductive reactance, resulting in a power factor of 1.

3. How do you calculate the value of an equivalent capacitor for an inductor?

The value of an equivalent capacitor for an inductor can be calculated using the formula C = 1/(2πfL), where C is the capacitance in Farads, f is the frequency in Hertz, and L is the inductance in Henrys.

4. Can an equivalent capacitor be used for any inductive load?

Yes, an equivalent capacitor can be used for any inductive load to improve power factor. However, the value of the capacitor may vary depending on the specific inductive load and the desired power factor.

5. Are there any limitations to using an equivalent capacitor for power factor correction?

One limitation is that the equivalent capacitor cannot correct for a non-linear load, such as a computer or electronic device. It is most effective for correcting power factor in purely inductive loads, such as motors and transformers.

Similar threads

  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
25
Views
2K
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
8
Views
904
  • Electrical Engineering
3
Replies
78
Views
3K
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
927
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
5
Views
964
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
12
Views
3K
Back
Top