Home
Back
Three Phase Power Factor Formula:
| From: | To: |
Power factor is a measure of how effectively electrical power is being used in a three-phase system. It represents the ratio of real power (working power) to apparent power (total power) and indicates the phase difference between voltage and current waveforms.
The calculator uses the three-phase power factor formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the ratio of actual power being used to the total power that appears to be used in the system.
Details: Power factor is crucial for efficient energy usage. A low power factor indicates poor electrical efficiency, resulting in higher energy costs, increased system losses, and potential penalties from utility companies.
Tips: Enter real power in watts, line voltage in volts, and line current in amps. All values must be positive numbers greater than zero for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is a good power factor value?
A: A power factor close to 1 (0.95-1.0) is considered excellent. Values below 0.85 are generally considered poor and may require power factor correction.
Q2: Why is √3 used in three-phase calculations?
A: The √3 factor accounts for the phase relationship between the three phases in a balanced three-phase system, converting between line and phase quantities.
Q3: How can power factor be improved?
A: Power factor can be improved by adding capacitors (power factor correction), reducing inductive loads, or using synchronous motors.
Q4: What causes low power factor?
A: Low power factor is typically caused by inductive loads such as motors, transformers, and fluorescent lighting that create phase displacement between voltage and current.
Q5: Is power factor the same for single-phase and three-phase systems?
A: The concept is the same, but the calculation differs. Single-phase systems don't use the √3 factor in their power factor calculations.