When is the reactive energy penalty applied?

For subscribers over a certain power in Turkey, if the inductive reactive energy exceeds 20% of the active energy and the capacitive reactive energy exceeds 15%, the reactive fee is applied (current limits may vary according to EMRA legislation). This corresponds to a target of approximately cos φ ≥ 0.98.

What target should I enter for a facility outside Turkey?

The target power factor is determined by the electricity distribution company in your country; on many networks, the limit is between 0.90–0.95. Enter the value on your invoice or connection contract as the target cos φ; the tool calculates the required capacitor power accordingly.

Is overcompensation harmful?

Yes. More capacitors than necessary lead to capacitive reactive energy and voltage rise; this is also covered by the penalty. For this reason, automatic stepped compensation is used.

Compensation Calculation – Capacitor kVAr Calculation (cos φ)

Inductive loads (motors, transformers) draw reactive power from the grid as well as active power. Reactive power causes cable losses, takes up transformer capacity and reactive energy penalty when exceeding the limit. This tool calculates the capacitor power required to increase the power factor to the desired value.

Formula

Qc = P · (tan φ₁ − tan φ₂)

P: active power (kW), φ₁: existing, φ₂: target power factor angle.

Example

To increase the cos φ from 0.75 to 0.98 in a plant with an average load of 250 kW, approximately 170 kVAr of compensation is required. With this correction, the line current decreases from 481 A to 368 A, i.e. 23.5%, at 400 V.

The default target (0.98) in the tool is according to the reactive energy limit in Turkey. For facilities outside Turkey, the electricity distribution company determines the limit; in the target box, type the value desired by your own network.

In stepped automatic compensation panels, the total power is selected slightly larger than the calculated value and divided into stages. You can consult Çiftel Kazan engineers for your boiler room and installation project.

Compensation (Power Factor Correction) Calculation

Formula

Example

Frequently Asked Questions