Types of Capacitor Bank Definition: Capacitor banks are defined as groups of capacitors connected together to improve the power factor in electrical systems, available in three main types: externally fused, internally fused, and fuse-less.
Capacitors are the most important part of capacitor banks, as their name implies. When needed, these capacitors release the electrical energy they have stored. These capacitors are connected in series and/or parallel to increase the total capacitance and energy-storing capacity. Resistors are among the most crucial components in a capacitor bank.
Capacitor banks are frequently used in power plants, substations, industries, and certain residential areas to increase the dependability and effectiveness of electrical systems. Figure 2: A Capacitor Bank To understand the workings of a capacitor bank, it is essential to know about its construction and various components.
Here, the basic circuit representation of a capacitor bank is shown where capacitors are connected in series and parallel. As the number of capacitors is increased in parallel, capacitance also increases. Then, sets of parallel capacitors are connected in series.
Shunt capacitor banks are connected in parallel with the load or at specific points in the system, such as substations or feeders. They provide leading reactive power (positive Q) to cancel out or reduce the lagging reactive power (negative Q) caused by inductive loads, such as motors, transformers, etc.
The applications of capacitor banks include the following. Capacitor banks are mainly used to enhance the electrical supply quality & also to enhance the power systems efficiency. This is most frequently used for the correction of AC power supply in industries where electric motors and transformers are used.