A Rajshahi-datelined report of the November 22, 2016 issue of the FE suggested household tube lamps (photograph shown) to reduce power consumption. However, it did not mention about the important task of installing power factor improvement capacitors ? a must to reduce electrical loads particularly for the industries and also to bring down the specific cost of the power consumed by these industries. This will in effect be a national power saving exercise. Usually the power factor of an air-conditioner load is 0.8 or less, depending on the type of the load. By installing duly sized power factor capacitors (a one off small investment) we can have a minimum saving of 10 per cent in power consumption throughout the life of the industry.
If the regular monthly power consumed (on average) is 10 MW for an industry, it can save at least 1.0 MW by installing the right capacitor by improving the power factor from 0.8 to 0.9 easily. This writer in his industrial working days, way back in the mid-1960s, found in one factory that the power factor capacitor was lying in the stores as the owner thought is was mistakenly supplied along with the plant and equipment. However, it was immediately installed and the owner was surprised when the monthly power bill came down by 10 to 12 per cent. Power factor improvement capacitor should be installed in all industries.
Engr.S.A.Mansoor
Dhaka
[email protected]