What is the power factor for ATV61 drives?

FA130739

16 March 2022

Issue:
What is the power factor for ATV61 drives?

Product Line:
Altivar 

Environment:
Altivar Machine

Cause:
N/A

Resolution:
To have a power factor closed to 1 (not the cos) it is necessary to suppress all the current harmonics.
For that, use an active filter from Merlin Gerin (Sinus filter product range)
This device measures the current harmonics and generates the opposite harmonics in the line supply.

Here is another important point:
The customers often get confused between the power factor needed for all of the installation and the power factor of our ATV drive.
For instance, that means they want the speed drive to have a PF of 0.98 if the total installation needs to have a PF of 0.98.
If an other equipment has a lower PF, all the installation will have a lower PF.
So, even our speed drives have a PF=0.98 it doesn't`t mean the installation will have a PF=0.98.
It is the mains supply of all the installation which has to be addressed, regarding the power factor.

On the other hand, you can improve the PF of the ATV by adding a line choke or passive filter from the catalogue as it is often requested.
With the harmonics levels of ATV you can estimate its Power Factor:
PF = cos phi(1)/SQR(1+THDᄇ) where cosphi(1) is from the fundamental current.
So, you can take into account this formula => PF = 1/SQR(1+THDᄇ) because cosphi is closed to 1.
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