EE2090: Laboratory Practice 111

Laboratory Experiment 07

USE OF SERIES AND SHUNT CAPACITORS

IN TRANSMISSION LINES

INSRUCTED BY:-Miss. V. Vijayarajah

NAME: -V.I.P. Dasanayake

INDEX NO: -090075M

FIELD: -Electrical engineering

GROUP: - 3
Objective

1. To investigate the effect of series capacitors on the limits of power transfer over a
transmission line, with its terminal voltages fixed.

2. To investigate the effect of shunt capacitors on a transmission line with its terminal
voltages fixed.

Apparatus

3 Inductors - (0.15 H, 3A)

1 Wattmeter
1 capacitor bank
2 Ammeters - (0-3 Amps)
2 Voltmeters - (0-150-300 V)
1 Variac -500 Ω , 2A
Rheostats -200 Ω , 3A

Calculations
Series Capacitive Reactance
Per Unit Compensation of the Line =
Inductive Reactance

1/ j∗2 πf ∗C
Per Unit Compensation of the Line =
j∗2 πf ∗L

Sample Calculation

C = 6 µF , L = 0.15 H , f = 50 Hz
1
Series Capacitive Reactance = =¿-530.52j
j∗2 π∗50 Hz∗6 ×10−6 F

Inductive Reactance = j∗2 π∗50 Hz∗0.15 H = 47.14j

530.3
∴ =
Per Unit Compensation of the Line = 47. 14 11.25
1. SERIES CAPACITANCE

Capacitance Power Received Series Per Unit

(µF) (W) Capacitive Compensation
Reactance() of the Line
0 50 - -
6 6 -j530.52 11.25
2. 12 16 -j265.26 5.63 SHUNT

18 22 -j176.84 3.72
24 35 -j132.63 2.81
30 38 -j106.1 2.25

CAPACITANCE

Shunt Power Received

Capacitance (W)
(µF)
6 60
12 80
18 95
24 100
30 105

Discussion
 The effect of power factor on the power systems

The power factor of an AC electric power system is the ratio of the active power
[V*I*cos(α)] to the apparent power [V*I]. And power factor is in between 1 and 0.Real power is
the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a particular time. Apparent power is the product
of the current and voltage of the circuit. Due to energy stored in the load and returned to the
source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave shape of the current drawn from the
source, the apparent power can be greater than the real power. The low power factor causes for the
loss of the system and it will increase the cost for energy.
When power factor is 0, the energy flow is reactive, so stored energy in the load returns
to the source on each cycle. When the power factor is 1, all the energy supplied by the source is
consumed by the load [I2*R]. Power factors are usually stated as "leading" or "lagging" to show
the sign of the phase angle. Leading indicates a negative sign, while lagging indicates positive
sign.
A power factor of unity is the goal of any electric utility company because if the power
factor is less than one, they have to supply more current to the user for a given amount of power
use. To do so, they incur more line losses. They also must have larger capacity equipment in place
than would be otherwise necessary. As a result, an industrial facility will be charged a penalty if
its power factor is less than 1.
Utilities typically charge additional costs from the industrial users who have a power
factor below some limit, which is typically 90 to 95%. So it is necessary to have a power factor
close to unity to reduce additional costs in electricity payments.
Facility’s power system capacity can be improved if power factor correction is done. Benefits are
incurred up stream. These benefits include reduction in power losses [I2R], improved voltage
regulation when properly switched & a decrease in kVA loading. There are several methods to
improve power factor.

 Usefulness of shunt capacitors in improving power factor of load

Inductive components in a power system such as ballasts, motors and heaters, draw
Reactive power (lagging power) from the supply. It lags behind the Active Power by 90 0. If a
capacitor is connected across the supply, it will draw Leading Reactive Power, which leads the
Active Power by 90 degrees. The direction of the Capacitive (leading) Reactive Power is opposite
to the direction of the Inductive (lagging) Reactive Power

Industrial facilities tend to have a lagging power factor, where the current lags the
voltage because of having a lot of electric induction motors. This will lead to the consumption of
Lagging Reactive Power. To minimize this effect we should either consume Leading Reactive
Power or Supply Lagging Reactive Power within the system. This can be accomplished by adding
Shunt Capacitors to the system. Some industrial sites will have large banks of capacitors strictly
for the purpose of correcting the power factor back toward one to save on utility company charges.

This method which is called as Shunt capacitive compensation is used to improve the
power factor

Considering figure 1 and 2:

If a capacitor is connected in parallel with an inductive load, it will draw capacitive
reactive power. The reactive power drawn by the circuit will reduce to the extent of the capacitive
Reactive Power [var], resulting in reduction of Apparent Power from VA to VA 1. The phase angle
between the Active Power and the new Apparent Power VA1 will also reduce from Ø to Ø 1
(Figure 2). Thus the power factor will increase from cos Ø to cos Ø1.
W
∴ The new power factor = cos Ø1 =
VA
By selecting a capacitor of an appropriate value, the power factor can be corrected to 1. However,
in normally the power factor is improved to in between 0.9 and 0.95.

 Effect of series and shunt capacitance

Considering Series Connection:

This method of connection is not much common.
  There can be a resonance occurring at a certain capacitive value, in series connection due
to the inductivity of the line. This will cause for very low impedance and may cause very
high currents to flow through the lines

 Because of the series connection, in a short circuit condition the capacitor should be able
to withstand for a high current.
 Voltage regulation is high.

Considering shunt Connection:

 Most popular method of connecting capacitors.
 The voltage rating of the capacitor is usually the same as (or a little higher than) the
system voltage.

 Other available methods to improve power factor in transmission lines

a) Using Filters
As presence of harmonics in the waveform caused by switched mode power
supply units, in certain situations capacitors are not connected directly to the supply lines.
But using filters it can be filtered. There are some filters such that filter only the
line frequency (50 or 60 Hz). With using these filters the non-linear device looks like a
linear load. At this point the power factor can be brought to close to the unity, using
capacitors or inductors as required. This filter requires large-value high-current inductors
which are bulky and expensive.
Harmonic resonance is a possibility if capacitors without harmonic filters are
installed.  However, capacitors without harmonic filters should not be installed in
harmonic contaminated environments since they may fail catastrophically. This filter is
effective for generator applications as a leading power factor can be avoided.

b) Using Synchronous Motor