Eurotherm publishes white paper on improving power factor using EPower Automatic Load Tap Changer

Eurotherm’s EPower™ Automatic Load Tap Changer (LTC) can drastically reduce or eliminate harmonic distortion caused by phase angle firing to increase and maintain the power factor, reduce energy usage and reduce operating expenses. The advantages of the LTC have been illustrated in a white paper published by Eurotherm, supplemented by the “Load Tap Changer simulator tool” showing manufacturers how LTC can improve the power factor in their process.

The EPower LTC improves, power factor, and reduces harmonic distortion for applications using phase angle firing. Due to the nature of the load or for convenience the power controller utilizes its LTC function to automatically switch from one tap to another based on a transformer’s unique input signal and internal feedback.

With multiple configurations available from two taps to four taps on either the primary or secondary side of the transformer, the load tap changer achieves all application requirements and eliminates the need for mechanical moving parts and intervening plant personnel to change taps.

A comparison of the effect of the Load Tap Changer on the power factor and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) for three taps (240Vac, 360V and 480Vac) versus a traditional phase angle solution shows a rise in power factor from 60 percent to 92 percent and THD reduced from 79 percent to 16 percent.