1. What is 3-Phase Power Factor?

The power factor (PF) in a 3-phase system is the ratio of real power (P) flowing to the load to the apparent power in the circuit. It's a dimensionless number between 0 and 1 that indicates how effectively electrical power is being converted into useful work output.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the 3-phase power factor formula:

Where:

• \( PF \) — Power factor (unitless, 0 to 1)
• \( P \) — Real power (watts, W)
• \( V \) — Line-to-line voltage (volts, V)
• \( I \) — Current (amperes, A)
• \( \sqrt{3} \) — Constant for 3-phase systems (≈1.732)

Explanation: The formula calculates the ratio of real power to apparent power in a balanced 3-phase AC system.

3. Importance of Power Factor

Details: Power factor is crucial in electrical systems because:

• Low power factor increases current flow and energy losses
• Utilities often charge penalties for low power factor
• Affects the sizing of electrical equipment
• Indicates how efficiently power is being used

4. Using the Calculator

Tips:

• Enter real power in watts (W)
• Enter line-to-line voltage in volts (V)
• Enter current in amperes (A)
• All values must be positive numbers
• For most industrial systems, power factor should be >0.85

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good power factor value?
A: Ideally 1.0, but values above 0.95 are considered good. Below 0.85 is generally poor and may incur utility penalties.

Q2: How can power factor be improved?
A: Through power factor correction using capacitors, synchronous condensers, or by reducing reactive power consumption.

Q3: What causes low power factor?
A: Inductive loads (motors, transformers), phase imbalance, and harmonic distortion can all reduce power factor.

Q4: Is power factor different for single-phase systems?
A: Yes, the single-phase formula is PF = P/(V×I), without the √3 factor.

Q5: What's the difference between leading and lagging power factor?
A: Lagging PF (most common) means current lags voltage (inductive load). Leading PF means current leads voltage (capacitive load).