Capacitor bank is usually controlled by the microprocessor based device called power factor regulator. Beside, segment installation practice demands protection for capacitor banks. In this case, capacitor banks are connected to the busbars, which supply a group of loads. What’s good in this solution // No billing of reactive energy.
Contactors are specially designed by contactor manufacturers for operating capacitors and in particular for assembling automatically controlled capacitor banks. These contactors have auxiliary poles combined in series with preload resistors that will limit the inrush current during activation. Go back to capacitors installation options ↑
Where one contactor is employed, it should be up sized for the capacitive load. The use of a second contactor eliminates the problems of resonance between the motor and the capacitors. Induction motors, transformers and many other electrical loads require magnetizing current (kvar) as well as actual power (kW).
Segment (or group) installation Segment installation of capacitors assumes compensation of a loads segment supplied by the same switchgear. Capacitor bank is usually controlled by the microprocessor based device called power factor regulator. Beside, segment installation practice demands protection for capacitor banks.
The capacitor mounted in the panel should have min gap of 25-30 mm between the capacitor and 50 mm around the capacitor to the panel enclosure. In case of banking a min gap of 25mm between the phase to phase and 19mm between the phases to earth should be maintained. Ensure that the banking bus bar is rated for 1.8 times rated current of bank.
This installation type assumes one capacitors compensating device for the all feeders inside power substation. This solution minimize total reactive power to be installed and power factor can be maintained at the same level with the use of automatic regulation what makes the power factor close to the desired one.