Understand reactive power.
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energy decisions.
From capacitors to compensation systems: explore the principles, engineering approach and questions that matter in practice.
Engineering, made understandable.
Source-backed guides, from theory to practice.
RC filter or RC snubber? Transformer and reactor protection
NEPSI references on RC snubbers, switching transients and protection of medium-voltage transformers and shunt reactors.
Capacitor bank inrush: back-to-back switching
Isolated and back-to-back capacitor switching, transient current and inrush reactors.
Capacitor bank unbalance and fuse failure
Neutral-voltage unbalance, capacitor fuse failure and direct failure detection.
Installed kvar, effective kvar and switching stages
Distinguishing capacitor nameplate kvar, filter output and physical stages from control steps.
What is an RC filter? Cutoff frequency and an example
Low-pass and high-pass RC filters, cutoff frequency, time constant and loading effects.
RC snubber circuits: an approach to damping ringing
RC snubbers, parasitic resonance, resistor losses and layout in switching circuits.
Transformer RC snubbers and switching overvoltages
Transformer and vacuum breaker interaction, switching transients and application-specific RC snubber assessment.
Shunt reactors: transformer connections and compensation
How shunt reactors absorb capacitive reactive power, tertiary winding connections and the difference from series reactors.
Capacitor lifetime: temperature, current and operating conditions
Hot-spot temperature, RMS current, voltage limits and manufacturer lifetime tools for capacitor selection.
What is a capacitor bank and how does it work?
Capacitor bank construction, fixed versus automatic compensation and key selection considerations.
How is reactive-power compensation calculated?
Compensation sizing, kW and kvar, a 100 kW example and the limits of the method.
How do harmonics affect capacitors?
Frequency-dependent capacitor impedance, harmonic resonance and detuned compensation.
Every installation has a different power profile.
Capacitor selection, compensation needs and harmonic effects may require a technical assessment specific to your installation.