Power factor is one of the most commonly discussed and frequently misunderstood topics in industrial power systems. This page answers common technical questions related to kW, kVAR, kVA, displacement power factor, distortion power factor, and the practical application of power factor correction equipment in medium-voltage systems.

Technical Q&A

kW represents real power, which is the portion of electrical power that performs useful work such as driving a motor shaft, producing heat, or powering process equipment. kVAR represents reactive power, which does not perform real work but is required to support the magnetic and electric fields associated with motors, transformers, and other inductive equipment. kVA represents apparent power, which is the vector combination of real power and reactive power.

In practical terms, a facility may require both kW and kVAR from the electrical system. When reactive power demand is high, total apparent power in kVA increases, resulting in higher current flow for the same amount of useful work. This is why poor power factor can increase system losses, reduce available capacity, and lead to utility penalties.

Displacement power factor is the cosine of the phase angle between the fundamental voltage and current waveforms. It reflects the degree to which current is shifted in time relative to voltage due to inductive or capacitive loading. In systems with relatively clean sinusoidal waveforms, displacement power factor is often close to true power factor.

True power factor accounts for both phase displacement and waveform distortion. In facilities with harmonic-producing loads such as VFDs, rectifiers, or other power electronic converters, current may be significantly distorted even if the fundamental displacement angle is relatively small. In such cases, a system may show acceptable displacement power factor while still operating with a poor true power factor. This is an important distinction because conventional capacitor banks correct displacement power factor, but they do not by themselves eliminate harmonic distortion and may require harmonic analysis before application.

Related Technical Topics

VarStec’s Medium-Voltage Power Factor Correction Expertise

VarStec specializes in medium-voltage power factor correction applications from 2.4 kV through 38 kV, providing metal-enclosed capacitor banks and harmonic filter banks engineered for reliable performance in real-world power systems. Our solutions are applied across a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, data centers, commercial facilities, industrial plants, and mining.

With more than 30 years of practical experience in capacitor bank and harmonic filter bank design, application, and manufacturing, VarStec develops systems to address utility interconnection requirements, voltage support objectives, power factor penalties, and kVA-based utility billing structures. Where harmonics are present, VarStec also applies harmonic filter bank solutions to support both power factor correction and harmonic mitigation, helping ensure the equipment is properly matched to the operating characteristics of the system.