Concept of APFC with reference to the energy efficiency

Increasingly, Indian Industry is paying one of the highest power tariffs in the world. Countries in this club such as Germany and Italy have benefited from Automatic Power Factor control as a competitive edge. They are already global leaders in Automatic Power Factor Compensation (APFC) Capacitors and Panels. This paper is aimed at APFC users and takes a hands-on look at extending the lifetime payback of APFC equipment. The effects of Current, Voltage, Harmonics and Temperature and their interplay are discussed. These produce degradations in Capacitors and Contactors. Subtle problems go unnoticed since the equipment is operating silently in a corner, until a catastrophic breakdown occurs. This paper also discusses practical guidelines for panel designers and users. Peak Inrush Current limiting, forced cooling, Component specifications, component selection and the role of the APFC controller with its protective functions are examined.