Motor Capacitor Control

[lostguy]

I need some help.  I was given a slip of paper today and told "i need you to find out more on this".  The paper said Motor capacitor control (energy savings) Application - pumps.

 

Im assuming that to mean some form of power factor correction, but am not sure if there is some form of motor controls that utilize capacitors as some form of energy savings.

Any help anyone can give on decifering this would be helpful.

 

thanks

[marke]

Hello lostguy

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

There are many out there that peddle energy savers that consist of a capacitor and many claims and even demonstrations are done on just how effective these things are, but the reality is that power factor correction supplies the VARs required by the motor and thereby reduces the current drawn from the supply. The current into the motor does not change, neither does the KW it uses, so you use the same energy as before albeit with a better power factor and a lower current.

 

Because the current drawn from the supply is lower, the I²R losses in the supply are reduced and so there is some energy saving in the supply, but this does not affect your power bill unless you are paying a power factor or maximum demand penalty.

 

Have a look at http://www.LMPhotonics.com/pwrfact.htm for more information.

 

Best regards,

Mark.