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What is Power Factor?

Super. I’m ready to find out what power factor is. To understand power factor, we’ll first start with the definition of some basic terms:

Power Factor - The Basics
Power Factor – The Basics (photo credit: enspecpower.com)

To understand power factor, we’ll first start with the definition of some basic terms:

  • KW is Working Power (also called Actual Power or Active Power or Real Power).
    It is the power that actually powers the equipment and performs useful work.
  • KVAR is Reactive Power.
    It is the power that magnetic equipment (transformer, motor and relay) needs to produce the magnetizing flux. KVA is Apparent Power. It is the “vectorial summation” of KVAR and KW.
Let’s look at a simple analogy in order to better understand these terms…. Let’s say you are at the ballpark and it is a really hot day. You order up a mug of your favorite brewsky. The thirst-quenching portion of your beer is represented by KW (Figure 1). Unfortunately, life isn’t perfect. Along with your ale comes a little bit of foam. (And let’s face it…that foam just doesn’t quench your thirst.) This foam is represented by KVAR.

The total contents of your mug, KVA, is this summation of KW (the beer) and KVAR (the foam).

Power factor - the basics questions

So, now that we understand some basic terms, we are ready to learn about power factor!

Title:Power Factor – The Basics
Format:PDF
Size:0.2MB
Pages:13
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Power Factor - The Basics
Power Factor – The Basics

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11 Comments


  1. JAIR ANDRADE
    Jun 14, 2019

    The unit of reactive power and reactive energy is in var, kvar, Mvar, … y varh, kvarh, Mvarh.

    References, IEC 60027-1 (“Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology”).
    IEEE 519 (“Recommended practices and requirements for harmonic control in Electrical Power Systems”).


  2. M. Saleh
    Oct 16, 2018

    Sirs,
    What is the difference between cosine and power factor ?
    Thanks in advance.


  3. Dang Luan
    Jun 02, 2016

    Loss reduction = 1- (0.65^2/1^2) ?, who explain?


  4. Khaled
    Apr 11, 2016

    Dears,
    Thank you for the great guide, but may be there is a mistake in the example (page 10), the load is a fan with 250 HP, with PF of 65%

    Then it was given that KVA is 250, KW is 163, how come?

    ain’t 1 HP = 746 watt ???


  5. HARIHARAN
    Jan 29, 2014

    KVA=KW+KVAR IS THIS CORRECT??


    • jim
      Nov 12, 2015

      nope. KVA = sqaure root of (KW)^2 + (KVAR)^2


    • Kebier Mohammed
      May 05, 2017

      In vector form this is correct.


  6. Pankajjyoti
    Jul 23, 2013

    Sir, this site is very much helpful for students. But there is no technical articles related to Power electronics or Control System (except automation part).It will be a great thing if the above topics are also added


  7. mpriya
    Feb 28, 2013

    Hi Can you please forward me the 13 pages of the power factor,because I am been blocked from our administrator.

    Thank you


  8. Pieter@1
    Jan 31, 2013

    Power Factor – The Basics

    Hi Can you please forward me the 13 pages of the power factor,because I am been blocked from our administrator.

    Thank you


  9. MUHAMMAD WASIM
    Nov 30, 2012

    great example to understand.

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