Power Quality and Power Factor Correction
The power factor of an electrical power system is the ratio of the real power absorbed by the load to the apparent power flowing in the circuit. It is measured between 0 and 1.0 (unity) and is usually deemed as either leading or lagging, depending on the position of the current waveform with respect to the voltage. A power factor of less than one indicates the voltage and current are not in phase. A load with a low power factor draws more current than a load with a high power factor. The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, leading to higher costs.