About Power Factor Correction - PFC
Texas Instruments Power Factor Correction - PFC
Power Factor Correction (PFC) is a technique of achieving greater efficiency in electrical systems by improving the power factor of the electricity being used. The power factor is the ratio of the active power flowing in an electrical circuit to the apparent power, i.e. how much electricity is being used effectively. PFC improves power factors by manipulating the phase angle between the current and voltage waveforms. This is done by controlling the electrical current such that the current waveform is shifted in time relative to the voltage waveform in order to reduce the current that is being wasted and increase the current that is being used effectively. Through Power Factor Correction, electrical systems are more efficient, reduce energy consumption and increase power quality in the system.