Shunt Capacitor Switching

For
Power Factor Improvement
Clayton H Reid
Power Factor
Kw is productive power
Kvar is non productive
Industrial Plant Electrical Load
Induction Motors
Induction Furnaces
Fluorescent Lighting

Advantages of Installing Capacitors
Improved Power Factor
Released System Capacity
Improved Motor and Lighting Performance
Reduced Current and Losses
Decreased Transformer Losses

Shunt-capacitor Banks
Automatic switching of capacitor banks
Voltage Control-a voltage sensitive relay is
used which responds to changes in line voltage
Current Control-a current sensitive relay is used
which responds to changes in line current
Kilovar Control-a kilovar relay is used which
responds to changes in reactive loads
Capacitors Switched with Motor

Another means of obtaining automatic
switching is to connect the capacitor to the
motor and switch the motor and capacitor
as a single unit
Capacitors Switched with Motor
The importance of selecting the correct
size of capacitor to be switched with a
given motor load
Location of capacitor connected points
Capacitor switching for special motors and
for special motor-starting applications
Capacitors Switched with Motor
Transient inrush current and frequency for
the following cases:
When a single capacitor is energized on
a system
When a capacitor is energized in parallel
with capacitor banks already connected
Effect of transient currents on contactors
Use of air-core reactors to limit transient
current in parallel switching of capacitors
Overvoltage Due To Excessive
Capacitance
Capacitor connected to the motor and
starter de-energized, motor acts as an
induction generator with shunt capacitor
excitation
Maximum Voltage Generated
Size of capacitor
Speed of motor
No load characteristics
Overvoltage Due to Excessive
Capacitance
Magnetizing Current
Torque Transients
Location of Capacitors
Energizing a Single Capacitor Bank
Capacitor Inrush Current
Transient Frequency
- transient frequency - power frequency
Recommended Capacitor
Rating
Inrush Currents
Energizing Additional Banks
Capacitor Inrush Current
Ca
La
2
Ep
Ip =
Ip= peak in rush current in amps
Ep= r.m.s phase voltages in volts
Ca= total circuit capacitance in farads
La= total circuit inductance in henries
Between C1 and C2
Transient Frequency
Contactor Switching Capability
Transient Overvoltage
Methods Of Limiting Inrush
Currents
Method Of Limiting Inrush Current
Capacitor Tests
Air-Core Reactor Design
Air-Core Reactor Design
Air-Core Reactor Design
Capacitor Switching Tests
Single 10 kvar
capacitor
Parallel
switching of 10
kvar capacitors
Parallel
switching of 10
kvar capacitor
with reactors
Inrush Current
725 A
Inrush Current
1153 A
Inrush Current
595 A
Transient
frequency
1057 Hz
Transient
frequency
3340 Hz

Transient
frequency
1750 Hz

Summary
Capacitor selection can be made from
manufactures literature. Will provide correction
to approx. 95% lagging, voltage will be limited to
110% when motor disconnected.
Capacitors should be connected ahead of
overload relays. If connected after the relays
Overload section should be selected based on
reduced current through the relays.
Do not connect capacitors to the winding of a
motor driving a high inertia load.as torque
transients up to 20 times can occur resulting in
mechanical damage to motor shaft and driven
machinery
Summary
To avoid torque transient problems for motor
and driven machinery,capacitors should not be
connected directly to the motor in the following :
a) any open transition reduced voltage starter
b) reversing starters, or starters which are used
for for jogging the motor
c) two speed motors
d) wye-delta motors
Use a separate contactor to switch the capacitor
Summary
When capacitors are installed in motor control
centers additional inductance should be installed
in series with the capacitors to limit transient
charging current.This will reduce contact erosion
in the contactor