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Regenerative Drives - Effect of Power Factor

Former Community Member
Former Community Member

I am working on a small 16kW hydro system which is experiencing about 15% loss in the Regenerative VSD. To maximise efficiency the turbine operates at variable speed. The VSD controls a synchronous generator and supplies the grid.

The VSD is a Siemens G120. The datasheet states that the efficiency should be around 96%, whilst also stating that the Power Factor is 0.9. I am looking to replace this drive for an ABB ACS 880-11 which has similar efficiency but a unity power factor.

Firstly can I trust these datasheets since, I assume, they relate to the VSD delivering electrical energy to a motor rather receiving it from a generator? Is there an efficiency penalty for regenerative generation?

Secondly, with all else being equal, will the drive with a unity power factor equate to more electrical energy on the meter than the drive with a 0.9 power factor? 

Thanks

 

 

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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member

    Hi Mike,

    Thanks for the useful analogy, that's very useful. 

    I am actually a mechanical engineer so I look at power in from the generator and the power out on the meter and consider everything else a loss, I appreciate this isn't technically correct since the energy still exists but it is not useful (at least in this application).

    I think to get to the real answer I need to determine whether there is reactive power at the meter. If there is it seems I can't so anything to improve the output with the current equipment installed  

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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member

    Hi Mike,

    Thanks for the useful analogy, that's very useful. 

    I am actually a mechanical engineer so I look at power in from the generator and the power out on the meter and consider everything else a loss, I appreciate this isn't technically correct since the energy still exists but it is not useful (at least in this application).

    I think to get to the real answer I need to determine whether there is reactive power at the meter. If there is it seems I can't so anything to improve the output with the current equipment installed  

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