Total measured Current multiplied by the system voltage yields Apparent Load or Apparent Power. The units for Apparent Power are VA, for Volt-Amps (i.e. KVA, MVA,etc.).
Working load Current multiplied by the system voltage yields Real Load, also called Real Power. The units of Real Power are Watts (i.e. KW, MW, etc.)
This is the actual work being done.
Reactive Current multiplied by the system voltage yields Reactive Load or Reactive Power (also called Imaginary Load). The units of Reactive Power are VARs, which stands for Volts-Amps-Reactive (i.e. KVAR, MVARS, etc.). VARS can be either leading “Capacitive” or lagging “Inductive”.
Motors pull both magnetizing current (Vars) and working load current. (Watts)
The current to magnetize the windings is called “Inductive” or lagging current. These VARS are positive Capacitors pull “Leading” current to charge the capacitors. Capacitor VARS are negative.
If you have a motor and the correct size capacitor hooked up together, then the capacitor supplies the magnetizing current for the motor winding, so that only the motor current needed to do work “KW” is actually pulled from the utility. When the capacitor is sized correctly then the PF is .95 or better.
Changing the above graphic into terms of Power yields the Power Factor Triangle, also called the Power Triangle.
The Power Factor Triangle (below) shows that (Real Power squared) + (Reactive Power squared) = (Apparent Power squared)
POWER FACTOR EQUIPMENT INSTALLED UPLINE OF THE USAGE TO SUPPLY VARS TO THE
MOTORS. THE MOTOR DOES NOT REALIZE WHERE IT RECEIVES VARS TO RUN THE MOTOR AND
THE EFFECT OF THE MECHANICAL LOW READINGS HAS NO BEARING ON THE USE OR POWER
FACTOR CORRECTION. WHEN THE MOTOR DRAWS KW FROM OR (ACTIVE POWER) THE LOAD
USED IS FULLY CHARGED BY WESTAR, WITH THE CAPACITORS THE VARS (REACTIVE POWER)
USED TO RUN THE MOTORS ARE FREE AND HAS NO EFFECT ON THE MOTOR ONLY IT HAS VARS
TO RUN COMING FROM A BANK OF CAPACITORS. IN OUR RESEARCH WE LOOKED AT
CORRECTING THE POWER FACTOR AT THE MOTOR, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE COSTLY
AND NOT AS EFFICIENT AS THE MULTI STAGED CAPACITOR UNIT INSTALLED WHICH IS KEEPING
THE POWER FACTOR ABOVE THE PENALTY LINE OF 95%. THE MECHANICAL METERS WHEN
FULLY CALIBRATED WILL BE a source to view current usage or changing usage throughout the plant.