Automatic Power Factor control Panel (APFC) is specifically used to improve the Power Factor and to avoid penalties. For maintaining the power factor according to the load factor, proper capacity of capacitors is to be connected. The value of capacitors to be connected will vary with respect to load and its existing PF. There are two ways to maintain PF- Fixing of capacitor at the load end permanently or at the mains. Generally which is recommended for the fixed load like pumps, fans etc. and it is not possible for the load which has variations in the load and PF.
The power factor can be maintained by installing Automatic Power Factor Control Panel (APFC Panel). It has microcontroller based programmable controller which switches the capacitor banks of suitable capacity automatically in multiple stages by directly reading the reactive load (KVAR) which works in the principle of VAR sensing tends to maintain the PF to 0.99 Lag. The capacitor banks may be selected in number of stages as 4/6/8 according to the load pattern.