2 Design Lab II: An Automatic Power Factor Correction

System
(Dr. Rajesh Karki, Sept. 2009)

2.1 Safety Advisory:

The activity prescribed in this laboratory will be conducted in an environment where
hazardous electrical potentials exist. The student should be aware of normally
expected electrical laboratory hazards and follow procedures to minimize risk. Please
refer to general safety precautions in the Laboratory Manual and those posted in the
labs.
This laboratory exercise presents the following specific hazards:
Shock: Collapsing fields in inductors, transformers and motors can produce
extremely high potentials even with low input source voltages; allow for
appropriate discharge paths and insulate yourself appropriately when contacting
leads or components.
Burn: Circuit elements under load, especially abnormal load caused by circuit or
design errors, can reach temperatures which will cause burns to skin if
contacted. Do not attempt to determine the temperature of elements with your
fingers! Approach potentially overheated elements with caution and allow
sufficient time for cooling when necessary. In some cases, elements may burst
into flames. This is usually very isolated and does not normally create a fire
hazard. If overheating to flames do occur, immediately remove power and
determine and correct the cause before re-energizing!
Explosion: Modern capacitor designs using metal cases with pressure relief
mechanisms have proven very safe and should be used in all new designs.
However, capacitors that are subjected to potentials exceeding their rating can,
on very rare occasion, rupture their cases. This especially applies to electrolytic
capacitors commonly used as power supply filter elements. Electrolytic
capacitors are typically polarized, and if they are connected with the polarity
reversed, even below rated voltage, can overheat quickly. Make certain that all
electrolytic capacitors are connected with the proper polarity before energizing
the circuit. If in doubt, re-check the polarity of the voltage rails without the filter
capacitor and then mount the element correctly.
Rotating Shaft Hazard: There is an electric motor with a rotating shaft. Although
small, the shaft and mounted sensor disk may pose a slight abrasive hazard if
contacted. Caution should be exercised when the motor is running even though
the risk of serious injury is negligible.

Some additional procedures for dealing with high potential equipment are included
below. Please familiarize yourself with these and follow them when appropriate.
Turning Power ON, Taking Readings and Turning Power OFF
Make sure everyone is clear of the circuit and equipment. Announce your
attention to turn the power on. Turn on the table breaker first to avoid accidental
human contact with the energized terminals on the table breaker. Turn on the
100-amp breaker at your work station (bench panel breaker) second to
energize the circuit.
Take meter readings immediately. Do not delay. Only one member of the
group should take readings from the meters. Place both hands behind your back.
Call out the readings. Be careful not to contact any part of the circuit or
equipment. Another member of the group should record the readings called out.
The recording person should be positioned a safe distance from the circuit. All
other members of the group should stay clear of the circuit and the meter reading
person. Turn power off immediately after the readings are taken. Do not
delay.
Turn the 100-amp breaker at your work station (bench panel breaker) off first,
followed by the table breaker. Always turn both breakers off. Have the circuit
rechecked if Any changes are made to the circuit.

Circuitry of High Power Ratings ( > 100V ):

Work only with one hand; keep the other in a pocket or behind your back when
working with powered equipment and circuitry. This will reduce the chance of
touching two powered points at the same time and will greatly reduce the extent
of injury if something should happen.
ALWAYS disconnect power to the circuit when not in use and when changing
connections
Place all meters nearest to the edge of the circuitry nearest to you so that your
do not have to lean over powered circuitry to make readings
Keep wiring as neat as possible so that you can easily determine how the
circuitry is connected without having to grab wires to determine where
connections go.
Use wires that are a short as possible to make connections to equipment, but not
so short that they are stretched to their limit (use good judgment)
In a learning lab environment ALWAYS have your circuit checked by an
instructor before powering the circuit

2.2 Background: Reactive Power and Power Factor Correction in

Power Circuits
The average power drawn by a load connected to an energized power circuit is also
known as the active power or real power, and is calculated using Equation (1).
P = V. I. Cos
(1)
where, V is the RMS voltage across the load, I is the RMS current drawn by the load,
and is the phase angle between the voltage and the current waveforms. For given
voltage and current levels, the average power is maximized when the value of Cos
(which is known as the power factor) is maximized, i.e. equal to 1. It is, therefore,
desired that electrical loads operate close to unity power factor in order to increase the
efficiency of the power system.
Power Factor (p.f.) = Cos
(2)
where, is known as the power factor angle, and is the phase angle between the
voltage and the current waveforms. When the current waveform lags the voltage, the
power factor is said to be lagging power factor. This occurs when the load has inductive
reactance. A load with lagging power factor is considered to draw reactive power from
the circuit. On the other hand, when the current waveform leads the voltage, the power
factor is said to be leading. This occurs when the load has capacitive reactance. A load
with leading power factor is considered to inject reactive power into the circuit. Equation
(3) shows one method to calculate reactive power, Q.
Q = SQRT(A2 P2)
(3)
where, A is the apparent power and P is the average (or real) power of the load. The
apparent power is the product of the RMS voltage and current of the load. Power factor
is also defined as the ratio of the average power and the apparent power.
Power factor can also be calculated from the impedance, Z of the load. If Z is expressed
in the polar form, the angle of the impedance is the power factor angle, . If Z is purely
resistive, is zero, and therefore, power factor is unity.
Most residential and industrial loads are of inductive nature, and therefore, will cause
lagging power factor. Power factor correction (PFC) is usually done by connecting a
capacitor of appropriate rating to inject reactive power and bring the power factor close
to unity. When the reactive power injected is equal to the reactive power drawn by the
inductive load, the power factor is corrected to unity. The capacitance required to inject
reactive power Q can be calculated using Equation (4).

= Q /(2f.V2)

(4)
where, V is the RMS voltage across the capacitor and f is the frequency.
It is obvious that the capacitance required for power factor correction of a power utility
customer will vary as the number and type loads vary throughout the day. It becomes
important to avoid resonance type situations when capacitors are used to neutralize the
lagging effect of inductors in a circuit, or else, some parts of the circuit may be
subjected to very high voltages or currents. Care must be taken to ensure the circuit
components are able to withstand the resulting currents or voltages.
It is important to maintain a steady RMS voltage at the load terminal, since residential
as well as industrial loads are rated to operate at a specific voltage level. When a load is

connected, the voltage at the load terminals will however decrease due to a voltage
drop in the circuit upstream to the load terminals. Corrective actions, such as
transformer tap-changing or reactive power injection, must be taken if the voltage at the
load terminal drops significantly. It should be noted that the corrective actions should be
removed or altered when the load is changed or disconnected, or else the voltage at the
load terminals can be excessive. These factors require careful attention when designing
a PFC system for a typical power consumer. PFC system can be static as well as
dynamic through automatic switching.

2.3 Part 1- Power Factor Calculation and Measurement

1(a):
- Connect a resistor in series with an inductor to form an inductive load.
- Calculate and measure the total impedance to obtain a power factor of 0.8.
- Use a variac to energize the load with a suitable voltage, so that the current
through the circuit components (including the connecting cables) are within
allowable limits.
- Measure the phase angle between the voltage and the current waveform using
an oscilloscope and calculate the power factor.
- Connect a power analyzer and measure the power factor. It should be noted that
a negative reading indicates leading power factor, and a positive reading
indicates lagging power factor.
1(b):
- Connect the circuit as shown in the single-line diagram in Figure 2.1.
- This represents a power supply system to a residential/industrial customer. The
inductor coil represents the upstream circuit impedance. Make sure that the
components are able to withstand the operating voltages.
- Connect a 60 W incandescent lamp at Load 1 terminal in series with a switch.
You should have an estimate of the current that will flow in different parts of the
circuit, and make sure that the components and cables are able to carry the
current.
- Measure the voltage at the load terminal, the current, active and reactive powers
and the power factor.
- Replace the 60 W lamp with a 23 W compact fluorescent lamp (energy efficient
lamp), and take the readings.

Figure 2.1

2.4 Part 2 Voltage Drop and Control

2(a) Voltage Drop Measurement:
- Energize the above circuit without connecting a load, and measure the no-load
voltage at the Load terminal.
- Switch-on a 150 W incandescent lamp at the Load Terminal.
- Measure the voltage at the load terminal, the current, active and reactive powers
and the power factor
- Calculate the voltage drop (reduction in voltage) at the load terminal from the
measured voltages.
- Verify with calculations that Vno-load Vdrop@coil = Vload.
2(b) Voltage Control Using Transformer Tap-changing:
- Calculate the level of voltage increase that can be obtained through tap changing
of the transformer
- De-energize the circuit by opening the breakers.

Perform tap-changing at the primary winding of the transformer to increase the

load voltage across the 150 W load.
- Measure the voltage at the load terminal.
- Disconnect the load. What is the voltage at no load?
- Discuss on-line and off-line tap changing with team members and instructor.
- De-energize the circuit and switch back to the original transformer taps.
2(c) Voltage Control with Reactive Power Injection:
- Connect a 150 W lamp at the load terminal and measure the voltage, current,
real and reactive power.
- Connect a capacitor bank in series with an ammeter at the load terminal.
- Gradually increase the reactive power injection, and monitor the current through
the capacitor, the reactive power injected, and the voltage at the load terminal.
- Obtain a load voltage close to the original no-load voltage, and measure the
connected capacitance.
- Also take the readings from the power analyzer.
- Switch off the 150 W load and measure the voltage at the load terminal.
- De-energize the circuit and change the switch position, so that both the load and
the capacitor bank are controlled by the same switch.
- Measure the no-load and load voltage.
- De-energize the circuit and disconnect the capacitor bank.
-

2.5 Part 3 Power Factor Correction

3(a):
- Connect an inductor in series with a variable resistor at the Load Terminal in Fig.
1. Also connect an ammeter to measure the current drawn by the load. You
should have an estimate of the current that will flow in different parts of the
circuit, and make sure that the components and cables are able to carry the
current.
- Vary the resistance and/or inductance to obtain a lagging power factor of 0.7.
- Energize the circuit and measure the voltage at the load terminal, the current,
active and reactive powers and the power factor.
- Calculate the capacitance required to correct the power factor close to unity.
- Connect the desired value of the capacitor bank to the Load Terminal through an
ammeter. Estimate the current that will flow through the capacitor bank and make
sure the circuit can handle that current.
- Measure the Voltage at the load terminal, the current, active and reactive powers
and the power factor
- Compare the currents drawn by the capacitor, the load and the total current
shown by the power analyzer.
- Verify that the total current drawn from the source is the summation of the current
through the capacitor and the load.
- Disconnect the resistor/inductor load and measure the voltage at the Load
Terminal.
- Discuss appropriate switch positions for the load and capacitor bank with your
group and your instructor. Also discuss the applications of static and automatic
power factor correction systems.

3(b) Automatic Power Factor Correction

- Obtain 3 different power factor levels for resistor/inductor load by changing the
value of the resistance and/or inductance.
- Calculate the capacitance required to correct the power factor close to unity.
- Connect the desired value of the capacitor bank to the Load Terminal through an
ammeter.
- Measure the Voltage at the load terminal, the current, active and reactive powers
and the power factor
- Disconnect the resistor/inductor load and measure the voltage at the Load
Terminal for each case.

2.6 Part 4 Design of a PFC System

-

Consider an industrial power customer that is supplied through a 5 kV distribution

feeder. The customer has different types of loads (such as ovens, airconditioners, motors, etc.) that have different power factors.
Draw a single line diagram of the system.
Design a power factor correction system for the customer, taking into
consideration the power factor correction range, maintaining acceptable voltage
at the customer terminal at all times, and using components with proper ratings
to withstand operating voltages and currents