In electrical engineering, the power factor of an AC electrical power system is the ratio of the real power flowing to the load, to the apparent power being drawn from the source. A low power factor indicates that the load is drawing more current than is required to do useful work. In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor will use more current than a load with a high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, and also require larger wires and other equipment.
The power factor of a system can be improved by using devices which consume reactive power, such as capacitors and inductors, to supply the reactive power needed by the system to maintain a high power factor.
Other related questions:
Q: What is a wind turbine load factor?
A: The wind turbine load factor is the ratio of the average power output of the turbine to the maximum power that it could produce if the wind blew at the rated wind speed continuously.
Q: What is a good wind capacity factor?
A: There is no definitive answer to this question as it will vary depending on the specific circumstances of the site in question. Generally speaking, a good wind capacity factor is one that results in a high level of energy production relative to the amount of wind resources available.
Q: How is wind capacity factor calculated?
A: The wind capacity factor is calculated by dividing the actual output of a wind farm by the maximum possible output. The capacity factor can range from 0 to 1, with a higher number indicating a more efficient wind farm.
Bibliography
- Optimization of wind turbine energy and power factor with an …
- Power Factor Correction – Wind Cluster
- Reactive power control – Wind Energy – The Facts
- Optimization of wind turbine energy and power factor with an …
- What does the capacity factor of wind mean? – Energy Numbers
- Power factor values measured on wind farm feeder