Power Factor Correction:

Project 1

This project was to install power factor correction at the Bathurst Water Filtration Plant as a result of the findings from an Energy Audit which we undertook for Bathurst City Council.

The water filtration plant had two large high voltage pumps for main water pumping duties and a numerous other low voltage pumps which were used in the station in the filtration process. The total electrical load at the station was divided approximately equally between the high voltage motors and the low voltage motors.

Power factor correction for the whole site was achieved by taking advantage of a lightly loaded low voltage transformer and associated low voltage switchboard. Power factor correction equipment at 415V was installed with sensing for the power factor taken from the high voltage private metering current transformers. A phase current at high voltage was compared to the corresponding (nominally) in phase line to line voltage at 415 volts thus ensuring the correct phase relationship (between voltage and current) for power factor measurement. This approach overcame the natural 30 degrees phase shift across the Dy11 transformer.

The project included

design,

documentation,

tenders,

construction supervision and

commissioning.

The final result was quite satisfactory with a power factor of close to unit achievable when required.

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Project 2

This project was to install power factor correction at the Royal Australian Navy’s Revy building at Pyrmont as a result of the findings from an energy audit which we undertook for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, located in that building.

Modifying the main switchboard to accept power factor correction equipment was not simple. The main switchboard had many sub circuits which were switched between essential and non essential services and it was necessary to rearrange the switchboard internally so that correction was achieved where required.