Power factor is a measure of the efficiency with which electrical power is consumed in an alternating current (AC) circuit. It represents the ratio of real power (also known as active power) to apparent power in the circuit.
Real power is the actual power that performs useful work, such as lighting bulbs or driving electric motors. It is measured in watts (W). Apparent power, on the other hand, is the product of voltage and current in the circuit, measured in volt-amperes (VA).
The formula for power factor is:
A power factor of 1.0 indicates a purely resistive load where real power and apparent power are equal, meaning all the electrical power is being used to do useful work. However, in many practical AC circuits, especially those involving inductive or capacitive elements, the power factor is less than 1.0 due to the presence of reactive power.
Inductive loads, such as electric motors and transformers, cause the current to lag behind the voltage, leading to a lagging power factor (usually denoted as "PF"). Capacitive loads, on the other hand, cause the current to lead the voltage, resulting in a leading power factor.
Utilities and industries often aim to improve power factor to reduce energy losses, improve system efficiency, and avoid penalties imposed by utilities for poor power factor. This is typically achieved by installing power factor correction capacitors or other devices to offset the effects of inductive loads and bring the power factor closer to unity (1.0).
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