KSU’s Enhancing Industrial Energy Efficiency through Power Factor Correction: A Study on Power Saver Development

September 13, 2024.To optimize energy usage and reduce operational costs, this study investigates the development of a power factor corrector designed to improve the efficiency and reliability of industrial electrical systems. Led by engineers Christian Louie B. Adora and Danilo C. Falgui, this research focuses on correcting the power factor—a measure of how effectively electrical power is converted into usable energy—to minimize reactive power and maximize real power utilization in industrial establishments. By employing a boost pre-regulator approach, the study demonstrates the economic benefits of power factor correction (PFC) for industrial users. PFC not only reduces monthly electricity bills but also minimizes the adverse effects of poor power quality, such as voltage distortions, heat generation, and line noise, which are often caused by harmonic currents introduced by AC-powered systems. These issues, left unchecked, can compromise both service quality and voltage regulation within the facility's power infrastructure. Testing and results from the study reveal that, with proper correction mechanisms in place, reactive power consumption decreases by an impressive 83.66%. This substantial reduction boosts the power factor to 96%, ensuring that real power—useful, consumable energy—accounts for the majority of the system's output. Economically, this improvement translates to lower demand charges on KVA and KW energy, benefiting the industrial plant’s finances and overall energy efficiency. In terms of technical execution, this study underscores the importance of capacitor-based correction devices, specifically tailored to activate in response to load type and operational demands. This multi-step capacitor approach contributes to more stable energy regulation and enhances the power system's reliability and longevity. Furthermore, the research aligns with industry standards that promote power factor correction to mitigate the effects of harmonic currents. The study’s findings were presented at the Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) during the esteemed eighth World Engineering, Science and Technology Congress (ESTCON2024) held on September 10-11, 2024, at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. This platform allowed the researchers to share insights with the global engineering community on enhancing energy efficiency in industrial settings through advanced power factor correction methods, ultimately contributing to the sector’s technical and economic advancement.