EXPERIMENT NO2

POWER FACTOR IMPROVEMENT BY CAPACITIVE VAR COMPENSTION

INTRODUCTION:Power factor of AC power system can be defined as the ratio
between the real power (KW) and appperent power(kVA) drawn by the load. It is
a dimensionless number and should be near to the 1, since the 1 the maximum
valve of the power factor.
POWER FACTOR = cos = ACTIVE POWER/Apparent power

It measure of how efficiently the load current is being converted into useful work.
Current is inversely propotional to the PF. So the high valve of current travel in
the line and so it increase the losses, so the money. As the current increase the
voltages drop down in alternator, electrical transformer which provides the poor
voltage regulation. So thats why we need to improve the pf and try to get the
unity or near to it for better results, decrease the losses and save money.
To improve the PF in the system means decrease or reduce the phase difference
between voltage and current. So we need to put some capacitor bank in the
parallel to the load, which produce the reactive power because the most of the
load is inductive type. Or by using the FACTS in the system which absorb and
produce the reactive power according to the condition if reactive power required
than it produce or otherwise absorb to keep the PF at better level.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the experiment is to demonstrate the PF correction
at a customer busbar for both single and three phase loads.
METHODS
APPARATUS

1* THREE PHASE AUTOTRASNFOREMER SOURCE (variac)

3* SINGLE PHASE CAPACITOR BANK.
WIRES FOR CONECTION
3*INDUCTIVE LOAD EACH 0.38H
3*RESISTORS 60ohm
POWER METER (to measure the voltages, power and current
for three phase)

Procedure
In the 1st we need to connect the single resistor(60ohm) and
inductor(0.38H) to make the single load by using the wires. And connect these
series load to the supply of 110v and 50Hz. After connection asked the lab
supervisor to check the connection. Turn on the supply switch than use the meter
and set the setting according to the phase and use it to measure the PF, power,
voltages and current. And also calculated the PF and ereactive power Q by hand
and records the valve in the 1st table.
After that use the capacitor bank(50uF) to improve the PF and turn on the power
supply again and use the meter to take the reading of power , voltage, current
and PF. By using the valve calculate the Q power and PF manually. After that
observe the PF, if the PF not improve than try to change the valve of capacitor to
improve the PF to the unity. And note down the optimum valve of capacitor. By
using the comapnsted valve complete the TABLE 1.
For calculating the reactive power (Q) and PF.
Reactive power = Q = VIsin

Before
connecti
ng the
capacito
r bank
After
connecti
ng the
capacito
r bank

V
(volts)

I
(amps)

W
(watts)

110.7

0.7

52.4

REACTI
VE
POWER
(meas)
62.5

110.7

1.5

54.5

152.8

Calculating the Q and PF.

Calculation for Reactive Power

(1)For Single Phase System:
Before Connecting Capacitor,
Q = V I sin
= (110.7) (0.7) Sin (50.05)
= 67.58 VAR
After Connecting 50 F Capacitor,

REACTI
VE
POWER
(cal)

PF
(measur
ed)
0.64

0.336

PF
(calculat
ed)

Q'= V I sin
= (109.6) (1.4) Sin (68.72)
= 142.98 VAR
1
2 Fc = 63.66

Xc =

After Connecting 16 F Capacitor,

Qc =

V2
Xc

( 110.1 )2
63.66

= 190.42 VAR
Measured value of Qc = QQ+Q (measured values)
=142.98+63.82
=206.8 VAR

Qc=56.4

S = 82.55

=50.05

=3.74

Q=60.1

QQ=3.7

P = 56.59

Figure 6: P-Q diagram for single -phase

Now for the three
phase part.
Make each leg of a Y-connected three-phase load using one 60 ohm resistor and
one 0.38 H inductor as shown in down given Figure. Connect meter(s) ready for
by change the setting to the three phase measurement and measure threephase power quantities (line-to-line voltage, line current, three-phase power,
power factor, reactive power etc.).Connect the three-phase load to a 110 V (lineto-line) 50 Hz power supply. Turn on the power supply. And records all the
required valves. Calculate the power factor. Connect the three capacitor bank
units (set to 50F each) in Y connection and connect them in parallel to the
three-phase load. Switch on the circuit. Observe the power factor on the meter

and compare with previous measurement when there were no capacitors.If the
power factor has not improved, try changing the capacitor bank values to
improve power factor. Note the new capacitance value. For the compensated
power factor, record the voltage, current, power quantities and power factor and
then switch off the circuit. Calculate the old and new power factors from using
component values only. Calculate the reactive power (Q) to compare with
measured value and put it in Table 2.

Circuit diagram for 3-phase connection

Before
connecti
ng the
capacito
r bank

V
(volts)

I
(amps)

W
(watts)

110

0.4

50.1

REACTI
VE
POWER
(meas)
60.4

REACTI
VE
POWER
(cal)

PF
(measur
ed)
0.64

PF
(calculat
ed)

After
connecti
ng the
capacito
r bank

110.6

0.8

52.9

141.5

0.351

Discussion :In this experiment we deal with PF by using the capacitor bank by
connecting in the parallel in thr RL load. When there is no capacitor with the load
the most of the power is consumed by the reactive load and and power factor is
lagging. Than we add capacitor bank in parallel to the load in than we notice that
the PF getting improve and maximum valve of the capacitor id 15uF to get the PF
near to the unity, which is more efficient and load current is minimum at this
point our power is 51.1watt, PF is 0.9588 and reactive power is 15.4VAR. As we
increase the valve of the capacitor to 50uF our PF becomes leading (due to
capacitive load) which is not required.
Conclusion :By this experiment we noticed that we can improve the PF by connecting
the capacitor bank in the parallel to the load, we can reduce the loss by reduce
the load current and make the system more efficient and there is little difference
in the calculated valve and measured valve which because in the measuring the
pf system is ideal since In experiment there is some losses and system is not
ideal.