Harmonic Mitigation Equipment

Myron Zucker (www.myronzucker.com)

Power Factor Correction Capacitors
Power factor correction capacitors store and redistribute reactive power. When a capacitor assembly is connected to an electrical system containing an inductive load, e.g., motor, the load will require less reactive power from the utility. Low power factor caused by inductive loads results in increased line losses and possible surcharges or penalties billed by electric utility providers.
Fixed capacitor assemblies are applied to constant load conditions either at the load, branch panel, or service entrance. Automatic capacitor assemblies correct power factor under varying load conditions, typically at the service entrance for facility-wide correction.

Harmonic Filtering Equipment
Harmonics are caused by non-linear loads such as Adjustable Speed Drives, 6-pulse Converters, Uninterruptible Power Supplies, etc. are likely causes of damaging harmonics in your system. These harmonics contribute to problems such as blown fuses, overheating of equipment, misfiring of AC and DC drives, to name a few. The application of harmonic filters provides solutions to a variety of power quality issues. These issues include power factor correction in the presence of non-linear loads, harmonic mitigation, and compliance to IEEE standards. Filters must be properly engineered and applied to prevent unexpected interactions within the electrical system.