Easiliner Capacitor power factor correction

[mpparent]

All,

I wondered if anyone on this forum has used this device:

http://www.investek.org/products/PhaseLiner_tech.htm

We had a local rep. come in and present this to us. The idea is to put these on our Computer Room AC units (easily a couple hundred units or more when this is all said and done), to try and save on energy costs. There is no issue apparently with overvoltages, as the unit dissipates the energy within 1 second after voltage is removed. My problem is there could be a resonance condition. Any comments?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[dpc]

Unless you are paying a power factor penalty, it's difficult to see how you are going to save much money, even if the devices actually do what they are supposed to do.

The numbers just don't work out.

 

[mpparent]

Our current power factor is 92.5% overall as measured by the utility. Obviously we are not in a penalty condition, but this gentlement claims that any motor over 7.5hp can be fitted with this capacitor and see a payback in about 2 yrs. I haven't done the numbers myself, but I plan to. Thanks for the input dpc.

Mike

Anyone care to comment on the system resonance possibility?

 

[dpc]

If you have a lot of non-linear loads electrically close to these capacitors, there is a good chance of problems due to harmonics, unless they have some type of filtering provided.

This could include UPS inverters, adjustable frequency drives, etc.

But unless they will tell you what is inside their black box, this is purely speculation.

 

[RalphChristie]

Mike

What kind of technique do the easiliner uses?

As dpc pointed out, if you are not paying a power factor penalty, I can't see much savings. Also, as pointed out previously in this forum, there is sometimes high pf improvement, but it is normally just on low loaded motors (0% to 50% loaded) For highly loaded motors there are minimal, if any, improvement.

Resonance becomes a problem only if a source of harmonics exists at the frequency where the impedances (capacitive and inductive) are the same. This is a certain possibility if they are usings capacitors to obtain the higher pf, but without knowing what they are using, I am not sure.

Regards
Ralph

 

[mpparent]

Hi Ralph,

I have no data sheets on the capacitors themselves, so I don't know what method they use. All I know is what the website says. Definitely a question I'll ask when/if the rep. comes back and this issue gets escalated.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[wareagle]

You need to determine if your company is being billed on KVA
or KW demand. If its KW demand there is not benefit. If you billed on a KVA demand then it may be worth the cost.
You can still save money improving your .92 pf to .99 pf.
Depends on the cost per KVA.

 

[mpparent]

Wareagle,

Thanks for the reply. You are exactly right. Where I'm at, we are billed for KW demand. When you said that, if finally dawned on me...must be my thick skull.

Thanks for all your help.

Mike