PFC (Power Factor Correction)

PFC (Power Factor Correction) is a key power factor correction technology in electronic components, designed to improve power system efficiency and reduce energy waste.

1. What is PFC (Power Factor Correction)?

PFC stands for Power Factor Correction. Power factor is the ratio of effective power divided by total power consumption (ranging between 0 and 1). A higher value indicates higher power utilization. For example, a power factor of 0.7 means 70% of the power is effectively used.

2. How Does PFC (Power Factor Correction) Work?

PFC circuits adjust the input current waveform to keep it in phase with the voltage waveform, thereby increasing the power factor to near unity (ideally), avoiding energy loss caused by current lagging or leading. This is achieved naturally with purely resistive loads, but capacitive or inductive loads require active PFC correction.

3. What are the Typical Applications of PFC (Power Factor Correction)?

PFC is commonly used in scenarios such as on-board chargers and LCD TV switching power supplies to address phase misalignment caused by capacitive loads (such as capacitors and inductors), ensuring current and voltage synchronization for maximum efficiency.

4. What are the Types of PFC (Power Factor Correction)?

PFC circuits are divided into two categories—passive (simple passive regulation) and active (actively controlling the current waveform). The latter is more common in high-efficiency systems. Overall, PFC technology significantly reduces energy waste and improves device performance by optimizing power delivery.