Automatic Power Factor Compensation

Abstract
The chief objective is to improve the power quality by continuously
monitoring the load power factor. When the load power factor falls
below a certain value it results in the increase of line current, resulting
in more line loss and greater voltage drop. Thus, the aim is to inject
capacitances of required values when the power factor falls below the
specified level. Primarily, a signal of pulse width proportional to the
phase difference is generated. From the ON time period of each pulse
the power factor can be determined. The exact value of the capacitance
to be injected is then found out using some mathematics. Finally, the
value of capacitance, so obtained, is to be approximated with the
standard values of capacitance. Micro-controller will switch all the
capacitors, which taken together is very close to the exact value of the
capacitance.

Introduction
The cosine of the angle between the voltage and current in an ac circuit
is known as power factor. It may also be defined as the ratio of KW and
the KVA drawn by the electrical load where KW is the actual load power
and KVA is the apparent power. It is a measure of how effectively the
current is being converted to useful work output and more particularly
is a good indicator of the effect of the load current on the efficiency of
the supply system.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project is designed to minimize penalty for industrial units using
automatic power factor correction unit.
In this proposed system, two zero crossing detectors are used for
detecting zero crossing of voltage and current. The time lag between the
zero-voltage pulse and zero-current pulse is duly generated by suitable
operational amplifier circuits in comparator mode is fed to two interrupt
pins of a microcontroller. It displays time lag between the current and
voltage on an LCD.
The program takes over to actuate appropriate number of relays from its
output to bring shunt capacitors into load circuit to get the power factor
till it reaches near unity. The capacitor bank and relays are interfaced to
the microcontroller using a relay driver. The microcontroller used in this
project belongs to 8051 family.

Furthermore, the project can be enhanced by using thyristor control

switches instead of relay control to avoid contact pitting often
encountered by switching of capacitors due to high in rush current.

Major steps for the power factor correction

Low power factor is undesirable from economic point of view. Pic-

microcontroller chip has been used, here for the implementation of the
power factor correction. The task is divided into the following steps:
 1. Measurement of power factor
2. Evaluating the value of capacitance to be injected for the
improvement of power factor.
3. Approximating the capacitance, with some standard capacitances.

Advantages
1. Increase in efficiency of system and devices
2. Low Voltage Drop
3. Reduction in size of a conductor and cable which reduces cost of
the Copper
4. An Increase in available power
5. Line Losses (Copper Losses) I2R is reduced
6. Appropriate Size of Electrical Machines (Transformer, Generators
etc)
7. Eliminate the penalty of low power factor from the Electric Supply
Company
8. Low kWh (Kilo Watt per hour)
9. Saving in the power bill
10. Better usage of power system, lines and generators etc
11. Saving in energy as well as rating and the cost of the electrical
devices and equipment is reduced .

Conclusion
On the other hand in this work, the exact value of capacitance to be
injected is calculated mathematically and not by injecting one
capacitance at a time and checking the new power factor. In earlier
methods more number of switching had to be done, resulting in greater
switching loss. Such a disadvantage is overcome in this technique.