Power conditioning and saving device

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein to a power factor adjustor comprising: a power factor measurement unit configured to measure the power factor on an input line to a load and generate a power factor correction signal based on the measured power factor; and a power factor adjustment unit connected to the power factor measurement unit comprising: a fixed capacitor connected in series to a first switching device; and an adjustable element having a variable capacitance connected in parallel to the fixed capacitor and in series to a second switching device, wherein the overall capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit is adjusted by adjusting the capacitance of the adjustable element or by toggling the first and second switching devices in response to the power factor correction signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power factor adjustor comprising:
 a power factor measurement unit configured to measure the power factor on an input line to a load and generate a power factor correction signal based on the measured power factor; and   a power factor adjustment unit connected to the power factor measurement unit comprising:
 a fixed capacitor connected in series to a first switching device; and 
 an adjustable element having a variable capacitance connected in parallel to the fixed capacitor and in series to a second switching device, wherein the overall capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit is adjusted by adjusting the capacitance of the adjustable element or by toggling the first and second switching devices in response to the power factor correction signal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the power factor measurement unit measures the power factor on the input line by calculating a phase angle for a sampled current and a sampled voltage on the input line, calculating the a difference angle by determining the difference between the calculated phase angle of the current and the calculated phase angle of the voltage, and calculating the cosine of the difference angle. 
     
     
         3 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the power factor measurement unit measures the power factor on the input line by sampling the current and voltage on the input line, multiplying the sampled current and voltage together at each sampling point, averaging the multiplied current and voltage to determine the real power, and dividing the calculated real power by an apparent power. 
     
     
         4 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable element includes powdered magnetite and the capacitance of the adjustable element is adjusted by compressing the powdered magnetite or applying a magnetic field to the powdered magnetite. 
     
     
         5 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the signal from the power factor measurement unit either tells the power factor adjustment unit to increase or decrease the overall capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit. 
     
     
         6 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first fuse connected in series with the first switching device and the fixed capacitor to protect the fixed capacitor from a current surge.   
     
     
         7 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second fuse connected in series to with the second switching device and the adjustable element to protect the adjustable element from a current surge.   
     
     
         8 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the first switching device is selected from the group consisting of mechanical switches, reed-relay switches, mechanical switches with solenoid actuators, mechanical switches with motorized actuators, transistors, thyristors, triacs, and solid state relays. 
     
     
         9 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the second switching device is selected from the group consisting of mechanical switches, reed-relay switches, mechanical switches with solenoid actuators, mechanical switches with motorized actuators, transistors, thyristors, triacs, and solid state relays. 
     
     
         10 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed capacitor comprises a plurality of capacitors of varying capacitance each connected in parallel to the adjustable element, and each of the plurality of capacitors is connected in series to a switching device. 
     
     
         11 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adjustment knob directly attached to the adjustable element used to mechanically adjust the capacitance of the adjustable element.   
     
     
         12 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electronic adjustment circuit supplying signals to an actuator that mechanically adjusts the capacitance of the adjustable element.   
     
     
         13 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display that displays readings that indicate amperage, voltage, wattage, and the power factor readings.   
     
     
         14 . The power factor adjustor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a monitoring device configured to monitor the voltage, amperage, and wattage drawn by the load and determine if the voltage, amperage, and wattage drawn by the load is within an acceptable range; and   a communication device configured to send a message if the monitored voltage, amperage, or wattage is not within the acceptable range.   
     
     
         15 . A filter comprising:
 a harmonics detector configured to detect harmonics generated by a load and send a signal if harmonics are detected; and   an adjustable element connected in parallel to a load and configured to adjust the Q factor of the adjustable element to suppress the harmonics in response to the signal sent from the harmonics detector.   
     
     
         16 . The filter of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustable element is configured to have a resonant frequency that is the same as a power line's frequency. 
     
     
         17 . The filter of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustable element adjusts the Q factor by compressing magnetite powder. 
     
     
         18 . The filter of  claim 15 , wherein the adjustable element adjusts the Q factor by applying magnetic fields to the magnetite powder. 
     
     
         19 . A circuit comprising:
 a capacitor;   a first adjustable element connected to a first terminal of the capacitor and configured to adjust the electrical properties of the first adjustable element by compressing a compression material inside of the first adjustable element; and   a second adjustable element connected to a second terminal of the capacitor and configured to adjust the electrical properties of the second adjustable element by compressing a compression material inside of the second adjustable element, wherein the first and second adjustable elements adjust their electrical properties to control the charge discharged from the capacitor to a load.   
     
     
         20 . The circuit of  claim 19 , wherein the compression material inside of the first adjustable element and the compression material inside of the second adjustable element are a plurality of aluminum beads. 
     
     
         21 . The circuit of  claim 20 , wherein the aluminum beads are coated with an insulating material. 
     
     
         22 . The circuit of  claim 21 , wherein the insulating material is silicon. 
     
     
         23 . The circuit of  claim 19 , wherein the adjustable element comprises:
 a container comprised of a non-conducting material;   a first electrode positioned in the container at a first end of the container, wherein the first electrode is movable within the container;   a second electrode positioned in the container at a second end of the container;   the compression material positioned in the container between the first and second electrodes, wherein the compression material is a plurality of aluminum beads;   a first connection connected to the first electrode for connection to a circuit;   a second connection connected to the second electrode for connection to a circuit; and   a compression device attached to the first electrode that moves the first electrode toward the second electrode to apply compression to the compression material.   
     
     
         24 . A method for power factor adjustment comprising:
 measuring the power factor on an input line to a load by a power factor measurement unit;   generating a power factor correction signal by the power factor measurement unit based on the measured power factor;   receiving the power factor correction signal by a power factor adjustment unit that has a fixed capacitor connected in parallel to an adjustable element;   toggling a first switching device connected in series to the fixed capacitor to adjust the capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit in response to the power factor correction signal; and   adjusting the electrical properties of the adjustable element having a variable capacitance to further adjust the capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit in response to the power factor correction signal.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the electrical properties of the adjustable element are adjusted by compressing a compression material within the adjustable element. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the compression material is powdered magnetite. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the compression material is a plurality of aluminum beads. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the electrical properties of the adjustable element are adjusted by changing an amount of current in a coil around the adjustable element. 
     
     
         29 . A power factor adjustment unit comprising:
 at least one fixed capacitor connected in series to a switching device; and   an adjustable element having a variable capacitance connected in parallel to the fixed capacitor, wherein the overall capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit is adjusted by adjusting the electrical properties of the adjustable element.   
     
     
         30 . The power factor adjustment unit of  claim 29 , wherein the electrical properties of the adjustable element are adjusted by compressing a compression material within the adjustable element. 
     
     
         31 . The power factor adjustment unit of  claim 30 , wherein the compression material is powdered magnetite. 
     
     
         32 . The power factor adjustment unit of  claim 31 , wherein the compression material is a plurality of aluminum beads. 
     
     
         33 . The power factor adjustment unit of claim  35 , wherein the electrical properties of the adjustable element are adjusted by changing an amount of current in a coil around the adjustable element. 
     
     
         34 . The power factor adjustment unit of  claim 32 , wherein the overall capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit is adjusted by toggling at least one switching device in response to a signal.