CRESPAC is a leading manufacturer of thermoformed food trays in the packaging materials industry. The company supplies PET resin packaging products to major food companies across North America, including trays for meat and agricultural products. It also produces mushroom trays in various colors and sizes for mushroom farms across Latin America. Although the plastic-processing and thermoforming machinery used on its production lines improves efficiency, these nonlinear loads can also create significant power quality problems, including low power factor and high harmonic distortion.
According to the electrical schematic diagram provided by the customer, the maximum load current at the project site was 6,800 A. Power quality was monitored on site for more than a week using a professional power quality analyzer. The measurements identified several serious issues, including a power factor of 0.62, THDi of 35%, and significant instantaneous current imbalance. The production equipment included numerous nonlinear loads that drew nonsinusoidal current and generated harmonics. In addition, high-energy-consumption equipment—particularly asynchronous motors used in polishing machines and conveyor belts—together with uneven circuit loading contributed to three-phase current imbalance and further harmonic distortion. If left uncorrected, frequent three-phase current imbalance can overheat and damage asynchronous motors.
After reviewing the site measurements and consulting with the customer’s technical team, Sinava Power developed a comprehensive, customized power quality solution. One of the main challenges was raising the power factor from 0.62 to the target value of 0.98. Because reactive power compensation equipment can produce high instantaneous current, effective thermal management was also essential. The measured THDi of 35% was an average value, while the harmonic spectrum showed components at the 50th order and above, with notable concentrations of the 7th, 9th, and 11th harmonics. Compensating these harmonic orders requires precise current control to avoid overcompensation, resonance, excessive instantaneous current, and potential damage to the filter. To address the serious three-phase imbalance, Sinava Power provided additional compensation capacity and optimized the harmonic filter control algorithm. The final hybrid solution consisted of three 500 kVAr thyristor-switched capacitor bank cabinets and one 400 A active harmonic filter. The system was successfully installed and operated as expected.
Solution Highlights
Thyristor Automatic Switching Capacitor Banks
Fast response to dynamic load changes, ensuring real-time reactive power compensationActive Harmonic Filter Integration
Effectively mitigates high-order harmonics (7th, 9th, 11th, and above) while minimizing resonance riskHybrid Compensation Technology
Combines the advantages of capacitor banks and active filters for optimal performanceOptimized Algorithm Design
Customized control strategy to handle high harmonic content and avoid current superposition
Why Choose Our Capacitor Bank and AHF Solutions?
Advanced design for high-load industrial environments
Strong resistance to harmonic interference
Reliable performance under demanding operating conditions
Flexible customization based on project requirements
Proven success in complex industrial applications
Application Industries
This solution is ideal for industries with heavy nonlinear loads and high energy consumption, such as:
Food processing and packaging
Plastic and thermoforming manufacturing
Automotive production lines
Chemical and pharmaceutical plants
Heavy industrial facilities
Improve Your Power Quality Today – Contact Us for a Customized Hybrid Compensation Solution!