POWER SYSTEM ANALYSIS

(EC321)

STUDENT NUMBER:
NAME:
LABORATORY:
Compensation

18890053
Pathirathna Weerasooriya
Power Factor Improvement by Capacitive VAR

DATE PERFORMED:

08.03.2016

DATE DUE:

23.03.2016

DATE SUBMITTED:

23.03.2015

Abstract
While applications for 1-Phase PFC are now familiar and prevalent, the same is
not the case with 3-Phase PFC. Many equipments using kilowatts of power from
3-Phase mains should be candidates of 3-Phase power factor correction, because
several advantages ensue, both to the user of the equipment and to the utility. In
the past decade, there is growing awareness about line pollution and
deteriorating power factor due to all pervading inductive and non-linear loads.
Utilities are as much concerned as the users. Passive power factor correction
techniques are neither convenient nor economical; they need bulky components
and are not adaptive to changing needs. Although many solutions were offered
for 1-Phase power factor correction, 3-Phase active power factor correction was
seldom considered. As all high power equipments derive electrical power from 3Phase mains, incorporating an active 3- Phase PFC front end can contribute
significantly in improving overall power factor and reducing line pollution.
In addition to lowering power bill to the consumers, improved power factor also
contributes towards conservation of energy and helps in reducing air pollution,
by virtue of less fossil fuel required for generating same amount of electrical
power.

Contents
List of figures......................................................................................................... 4
List of table............................................................................................................ 4
Introduction........................................................................................................... 5
Procedure............................................................................................................... 6
Laboratory Tabulated Results................................................................................. 7
Discussion............................................................................................................ 10
Conclusion........................................................................................................... 14
References........................................................................................................... 15

List of figures
Figure 1.................................................................................................................. 6
Figure 2.................................................................................................................. 7
Figure 3................................................................................................................ 10

List of table
Table 1................................................................................................................... 7
Table 2................................................................................................................... 8

Introduction
The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate the power factor correction procedure at a
customer bus bar for three-phase loads.

Power Factor compares the active power (kilowatts or kW) with apparent power
(KVA) that is demanded from the power source. It is also a comparison of the
active current to the total current., as shown in the triangle below. It is also equal
to the cosine of the angle of displacement between the voltage and current
waveforms. The ratio of actual power to apparent power is usually expressed in
percentage and is called power factor.
PF =

kVA
kW

= cos

Motors, transformers and other inductive equipment in a plant require two kinds
of electric power. One type is working power, measured by the kilowatt (kW).
This is what powers the equipment and performs useful work. Secondly,
inductive equipment needs magnetizing power to produce the flux necessary for
the operation of inductive devices. The unit of measure of magnetizing or
reactive power is the kilovar (kVAR). The working power (kW) and reactive power
(kVAR) together make up apparent power which is measuredin kilovolt-amperes
(kVA). By representing these components (kW and kVAR) of apparent power
(kVA) as the sides of a right triangle, we can determine the apparent power from
the right triangle rule. To reduce the kVA required for any given load, you must
shorten the line that represents the kVAR. This is the function of power factor
capacitors.

Apparatus

Labvolt setup
Three-phase resistive load
Three-phase inductive load
Power supply unit
Connection wires
Data acquisition and control interface
Host computer

Procedure
1) Connect the equipment as follows

Figure 1

2)
Make necessary switch setting such that resistance of Y-connected 3 phase load
equal to 90 and reactance of each inductor equal to 686.
3)
Prepared required switch setting on capacitive load to make the reactance of 3
phase capacitor to infinite.
4)
After doing the appropriate connections and settings the metering window
readings were taken.

Laboratory Tabulated Results

Before
connecti
ng
capacitor
s

Eind
(v)

Iind
(A)

Pind
(W)

Qind
(Vars)

Sind
(VA)

240.6

241.5

40.24

26.01

47.4

Power
Factor
(Measure
d)
0.84

Table 1

Then readings were taken by connecting the capacitors and having necessary
switch settings. Therefore the power factor PF ind is as close as positive to unity.
Switch setting in the capacitive load

Figure 2

The readings were

After
connecti
ng
capacitor
s

Eind
(v)

Iind
(A)

Pind
(W)

Qind
(Vars)

Sind
(VA)

240.5

242.1

47.31

1.621

47.34

Table 2

Power
Factor
(Measure
d)
0.999

Discussion
In ac circuit the power factor is the ratio of real power (in W) which is used to do
work and the apparent power (S)(in VA)which is supplied to the circuit. The
power factor can gets values in the range from 0 to 1. When all the power is
reactive with no real power (usually inductive load) hence the power factor is 0.
In electric power systems load with load power factor draws more current than a
load with a high power factor even though same amount of useful power
transmitted. These higher current increase the energy lost in the distribution
system. Nevertheless to overcome this energy lost increasing the power factor is
essential. Which is named as power factor correction .On the other hand when
power factor value is getting closer to 1, it reduces the reactive power in circuit.
The power factor correction is usually done by adding capacitors to the load
circuit. Such as inductive components are used electric motors.

1)
Phase voltage

240 V
3
Q

Reactive power

I2 X
E2
X

240 2
1

3
686

( )

27.98Var
2)
Total reactive power generated by the capacitor

ind(before connecting capacitor)

25.921.524

24.4 Var

ind(after connecting capacitor)

There is a slight different between two values as a result of the actual capacity of
the capacity is not almost 960 . Even though, power factor correction is done , it
is not exactly same as after doing the power factor correction.

3)
A electrical power system with a low power factor draws current higher than that
or a load with higher power factor on a same amount of usually power
transferred.
Power factor correction is normally achieved by the addition of capacitors to the
electrical network which compensate for the reactive power demand of the
inductive load and thus reduce the burden on the supply. There should be no
effect on the operation of the equipment. To reduce losses in the distribution
system, and to reduce the electricity bill, power factor correction, usually in the
form of capacitors, is added to neutralize as much of the magnetizing current as
possible. Capacitors contained in most power factor correction equipment draw
current that leads the voltage, thus producing a leading power factor. If
capacitors are connected to a circuit that operates at a nominally lagging power
factor, the extent that the circuit lags is reduced proportionately. Typically the
corrected power factor will be 0.92 to 0.95. Some power distributors offer
incentives for operating with a power factor of better than 0.9, for example, and
some penalize consumers with a poor power factor. There are many ways that
this is metered but the net result is that in order to reduce wasted energy in the
distribution system, the consumer is encouraged to apply power factor
correction. Most Network Operating companies now penalize for power factors
below 0.95 or 0.9.
Power factor correction is achieved by the addition of capacitors in parallel with
the connected motor or lighting circuits and can be applied at the equipment,
distribution board or at the origin of the installation.
Power factor (pf) = The cosine of the angle between useful power and total
power = cos .
(inductive)

(capacitive)

Figure 3

To increase power factor cos

should be increase, and by reducing

it is

possible.by adding a capacitive load it reduces the reactive power.(its like adding
a (-)vector to a (+)vector ) however there is a limit of adding capacitors because
first it reduce the reactive power (inductive type) and comes to a minimum and
again it increases reactive power(capacitive).

4)
I.

II.

Poor voltage regulation:

The large current at low power factor causes greater voltage drops
in electrical equipments. The result is reduced voltage at the supply
end. IN order to keep the receiving end voltage within permissible
limits, additional equipments like voltage regulators are required.
Large KVA rating of equipment larger size and expensive
All electrical equipment in connection with generation, transmission,
distribution of ac power such as alternators, transformers, switch
gear, cables etc are rated on KVA basis
The larger the power factor the larger is the KVA rating. So at low
power factor, the KVA rating of the equipment has to be made
more, making the equipment larger and expensive.

III.

More Capital Investment

Alternatively, if efficiency of transmission is to be kept same, poor
power factor will require cross-section of the line conductors which
will be proportional to 1/cos.
This will increase capital investment in the transmission line.

IV.

Loss of generating capacity:

The lagging power factor reduces the handling capacity of all the
elements of the system.
It is because the reactive component of current prevents the full
utilization of installed capacity.

5)
Delta type configuration is much preferable for a 3 phase switched capacitor
bank to implement power factor correction. Because,

Delta connection is parallel effective and star is series. Therefore

capacitors often have more impedance when connected in parallel.
The star connection requires a three time capacitance higher than
of delta required capacitance.
If there is any circulating current in the bank of delta, this current
remains in the bank and doesnt spread over whole system
In delta phase current

line current
3

Accordingly phase current become smaller and losses are also getting
decrease.

Conclusion
In this experiment we learnt how the power factor correction happen with the
three-phase loads. The experiment was conducted by before and after
connecting capacitors and the change of the power factor.

References
IEEE Xplore Abstract - Surgeless switching of 3 phase delta connected capacitor banks in
distribution systems . 2016. IEEE Xplore Abstract - Surgeless switching of 3 phase delta
connected capacitor banks in distribution systems . [ONLINE] Available
at: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=299175&url=http%3A
%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fxpls%2Fabs_all.jsp%3Farnumber%3D299175.
[Accessed 17 March 2016].

. 2016. . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.apqpower.com/assets/files/ARTECHE_Type

%20CFB_Manual_10-0805.pdf. [Accessed 17 March 2016].