Automatic Power Factor Corrector using PIC 16F877 Microcontroller

The power factor of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio of the real power to the apparent power, and is a number between 0 and 1 (frequently expressed as a percentage, e.g. 0.5 pf = 50% pf). 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. Because the cost of each power line and transformer in a distribution system depends on the peak current it is designed to handle, a distribution system that is designed to handle the higher currents caused by loads with low power factor will cost more than a distribution system that delivers the same useful energy to loads with a power factor closer to 1. In a purely resistive AC circuit, voltage and current waveforms are in step (or in phase), changing polarity at the same instant in each cycle. Where reactive loads are present, such as with capacitors or inductors, energy storage in the loads result in a time difference between the current and voltage waveforms. This stored energy returns to the source and is not available to do work at the load. Thus, a circuit with a low power factor will have higher currents to transfer a given quantity of real power than a circuit with a high power factor. Circuits containing purely resistive heating elements (filament lamps, strip heaters, cooking stoves, etc.) have a power factor of 1.0. Circuits containing inductive or capacitive elements (lamp ballasts, motors, etc.) often have a power factor below

1.0. For example, in electric lighting circuits, normal power factor ballasts (NPF) typically have a value of (0.4 - 0.6). Ballasts with a power factor greater than (0.9) are considered high power factor ballasts (HPF).
This project uses PIC 16F877 Controller to indicate and Correct the Power factor by using Multiple capacitor Banks.

Operation: In this project we have used the PT and CT to Measure the Voltage and Current Changes. Both the Parameters are Stepped down and given to a Schimitt Trigger for wave shapping and then it is fed to an microcontroller digital input for determining the phase difference between the Voltage and the Current Curve.

Block Diagram

Power Supply +12VDC -12VDC

Potential Transformer

Current Transformer

LCD Display

Full Wave Precision Rectifier LM1458

Power Supply +5VDC

Relay1

Relay2 Relay Drivers Relay3

PIC Microcontroller PIC16F877A

Potentiometer IO PORTS

Relay4

Schmitt Trigger

Schmitt Trigger

PT

CT

Load