Residential Power Factor Correction

Mohammad Faizal Bin Mustafar

Electrical Engineering Department,
National Defense University of Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
faizalmustafar91@gmail.com
AbstractPower generation is a highly cost business.
The efficiency of the power system is the main factor to
improve the power system. The most efficient power
system is the system that have the lowest power losses.
Nowadays, residential loads are more to inductive loads.
The improvement of power efficiency by implementing the
suitable method is needed. Reducing of the usage current
is the main objective. There are two types of power factor
correction techniques passive and active power factor
correction. This project implement the passive technique
which using parallel capacitor connection to improve the
power factor [!. "n this project also, a microcontroller is
used to control the automatic power factor correction
system. The microcontroller will be able to control the
capacitors switching for the power factor correction. The
use of current sensor to measures the current for the
power factor calculation. #apacitor ban$s are
implemented in this project. The function of capacitor is to
counter the inductive loads and improve the power factor.
The advantages of reduce of power factor is improving the
power system and reduce power losses. %esides, this high
power factor helps to reduce the electrical bills and
increase the electrical system capacity. The measured
power factor will be displayed on the &#'.
I. INTRODCTION
A. Power Factor
Power factor is the ratio of the true !ower" P #$%& and
the reacti'e !ower" (#$)*& drawn from an electrical load. The
real !ower" P of a load differs as the useful !ower and the
reacti'e !ower" ( of a load differ as the non+usa,e !ower.
Power factor refer to the efficienc- of the load !ower
consum!tion. The most efficient load !ower consum!tion is
a!!roachin, unit-. The unit- means the !ower factor is ..
In term of current and 'olta,e si,nal" the /oth si,nals
were in !hase. %hen the current si,nal la,,in, or leadin, the
'olta,e si,nal" this show the !ower factor is not unit-.012 This
means there is !ower losses in the transmission line of load.
The leadin, and la,,in, time different /etween the current
and the 'olta,e wa'eform /ecause of the !resent of the
reacti'e loads. This refer to the circuit that consist of inducti'e
or ca!aciti'e elements. 34ce!tion for resisti'e circuit that
ha'e unit- !ower factor. The current and 'olta,e wa'eform of
resisti'e circuit were in !hase.
In realit-" the efficienc- of !ower consum!tion is onl-
can a!!roachin, to .. The hi,her the !ower factor
a!!roachin, to unit- the hi,her the efficienc- of !ower
consum!tion. It is im!ortant to im!ro'e the !ower factor to /e
as close as unit- in order to im!ro'e the !ower consum!tion
/- the load. Nowada-s" the loads more to inducti'e load.
34am!les are electric+motor" transformer" and air conditioner.
The !ower trian,le shows the relationshi! of the real
!ower #P&" reacti'e !ower #(& and a!!arent !ower #5&.
Fi,ure ...6 Power Trian,le
There are se'eral /asic formulas related to the !ower
factor calculation.
P=rue power (!atts)
P="
7
#
P=
$
7
#
%=#eactive power ($A#)
%="
7
&
%=
$
7
&
'=Apparent power ($A)
'="
7
(
'=
$
7
(
'=$"
Power factor =cos)
cos)=
P
$ *"
+. Power Factor ,orrection ec-ni.ue
Passi'e !ower factor correction is the sim!lest method to
im!ro'e !ower factor correction. It is ru,,ed /ut it has /ul$-
size and hea'- wei,ht. The im!ro'ement of !ower factor
throu,h this techni8ue is not too hi,h and effecti'e which is
less than .. The disad'anta,e for this techni8ue is no friendl-
to harmonic distortion. 5o" this techni8ue is no !refera/le for
current trends of harmonic norms.0.2
*cti'e !ower factor correction techni8ue is the !refera/le
method that can counter the harmonic distortion. This
techni8ue is !ossi/le to reach unit- !ower factor. T-!es of
acti'e PFC are Boost" Buc$ and Buc$ Boost.072
,. Automatic Power Factor correction
Power factor correction is the method to counter the
!ro/lem of the low !ower factor in a !ower s-stem. Power
factor correction ma- /e installed at residential distri/ution
transmission networ$ to im!ro'e the !ower efficienc- of the
houses /esides to reduce the costs electric char,e. The !ower
factor correction s-stem a!!lied the ca!acitor /an$s to
counter the reacti'e !ower. The !ower factor of the !ower
s-stem will im!ro'e from the counter action of reducin, the
reacti'e !ower /- connectin, ca!acitor to the load.092 The
connection of ca!acitor will counter the inducti'e load.
Microcontroller is a!!lied in this !ower factor correction
s-stem0:2. This due the o!eration of the automatic correction
of !ower factor. The microcontroller o!erates as the /rain of
the !ower factor correction s-stems that control the !ower
factor calculation and decide the ca!acitor connection to the
s-stem for !ower factor correction. 0;2
D. ,apacitor value
Determination of ca!acitor 'alue is im!ortant in order to
estimate the suita/le size of ca!acitor 'alue for the
correction. The ca!acitor size should /e enou,h to ma$e the
!ower factor a!!roachin, unit-".. <owe'er" o'er+correction
!ower factor can ha!!en due to the wron, estimation of size
of ca!acitor. The ca!acitor reacti'e !ower will counter the
inducti'e load and resultin, low reacti'e !ower. This results
to the hi,h !ower factor.
There are few calculations can /e used to estimate the
suita/le6
&=
$
7
%
,=
.
7=f>
E. /01ectives
.. To stud- the !ower factor correction usin,
microcontroller at residential le'el.
7. To simulate the automatic !ower factor correction
9. To im!lement the automatic !ower factor correction
hardware at residential le'el.
F. Pro1ect 'cope
1. The automatic !ower factor correction is
im!lementa/le at residential le'el.
2. The s-stem controlled /- microcontroller for the
automatic ca!acitor switchin,.
3. The s-stem can counter the efficienc- of inducti'e
load !ower consum!tion.
4. The s-stem usin, PROT35 and Micro C software.
II. M3T<ODO?O@A
The !rocess of this !roBect consists of 9 maBor !arts need
to ,o throu,h to com!lete the automatic !ower factor
controller s-stem. First" the !ro,ram of the microcontroller
that control the o'erall s-stem !rocess. 5econd" the s-stem
circuit simulation usin, PROT35 I5I5 software. Third"
hardware im!lementation.
A Pro1ect flow c-art
Fi,ure 7..6ProBect flow chart
+ Automatic Power Factor ,orrection 0asic Arc-itecture
The /loc$ dia,ram /elow shows the ,eneral
architecture of the automatic !ower factor controller.
Fi,ure 7.76 5-stem /loc$ dia,ram
The ,eneral o!eration of the automatic !ower factor
correction s-stem is summarize in fi,ure /elow6
Fi,ure 7.96 5-stem o!eration flow chart
, Power Factor ,orrection 'imulation
Fi,ure 7.9 show the !ower factor correction circuit. This
circuit will correct the !ower factor of the loads. Fi,ure 7.:
re!resent the !ower factor correction in term of !ower
trian,le. The reducin, of reacti'e !ower will reduce the
a!!arent !ower and im!ro'e the !ower factor.
Fi,ure 7.96 Power factor correction circuit
Fi,ure 7.:6 Power trian,le correction.
III. 3>P3CT3D R35?T
*utomatic !ower factor correction s-stem is e4!ected a/le
to /e im!lemented in the residential re8uirements. The !ower
factor also will /e automaticall- correct /- this s-stem. The
'alue of !ower factor /efore and after the correction will /e
dis!la- at the ?CD.
I). CONC?5ION
*utomatic !ower factor correction s-stem should /e
im!lementa/le at residential le'el. The !ower factor
correction o!eration will im!ro'e the load !ower factor which
increase the !ower s-stem efficienc- of the houses. The
corrected !ower factor should /e a!!roachin, to unit-.
*CCNO%?3D@3M3NT
I would li$e to con'e- m- outmost a!!reciation to m-
su!er'isor" Dr Mohd Taufi8 Bin Isha$" for his ,uidance and
encoura,ements throu,hout the final -ear !roBect .. M-
a!!reciation also to m- !arents for their lo'e and su!!ort
durin, the course of stud-. I would li$e also than$s to m-
friends and other lecturer that willin, to ,uide and ,i'e ideas
to com!lete the FAP.. ?astl-" *lhamdulillah" than$s to *llah
for ,i'in, me stren,th and health-. <o!efull-" ma- <im
/lessed this !roBect until accom!lish. *min.
R3F3R3NC35
0.2 Dr. C.C. Pan,rahi and ?o!amudra Mitra6D Power Factor
Im!ro'ement sin, *cti'e Power Factor Correction
MethodsD" International Eournal of 3lectrical
3n,ineerin, and Technolo,- #IE33T&" I55N FGH1+1;G;
#!rint& I55N FGH1+1;;9#Online&" )olume . Num/er ."
Ma-+Eune #7F.F&. P!. 97+:1
072 Manuel *ries" *ltor )al8uez" Ea'ier 5e/astian6 I*n
O'er'iew of the *C+DC and DC+DC Con'erters For
?3D ?i,htnin, *!!licationsD"*TC*FF ;9#7&"
.;1+.H7#7F.7&
092 5u!ratim Basu and Math <. E. Bollen6D* No'el
Common Power Factor Correction 5cheme For <omes
*nd OfficesD I333 Transactions On Power Deli'er-"
)ol.7F"No 9" Eul- 7FF;" 77;H+7719.
0:2 5. Rustemli and M. *tes6 IMeasurement *nd 5imulation
of Power Factor sin, PIC.1FJHHD #3lectrical Re'iew&"
I55N FF99+7FGH" R. JJ NR 1K7F.7
0;2 Christo!her *. <e,er and *nthon- Morroni6 IPower
Factor Correction+ * Fresh ?oo$ Into Toda-Ls 3lectrical
5-stemsD !..+.9
012 *zcondo F. E." Diaz F. E." Branas C." Casanue'a R."
IMicrocontroller Power Mode 5ta/ilized Power Factor
Correction 5ta,e for <i,h Intensit- Dischar,e ?am!
3lectronic BallastD" I333 Transaction on Power
3lectronics" )ol. 77" No. 9" 7FFH" J:;+J;9.
0H2