Power Factor Correction 2010

EXPERIMENT 3: REACTIVE POWER COMPENSATION AT DIFFERENT LOAD (USING CAPACITOR LOAD BANK)

AIM: To apply the knowledge and understanding on theory and applications of reactive power compensation at different load (using capacitor load bank).

OBJECTIVES: 1. Understanding the power factor correction method. 2. Calculating the reactive power compensation (capacitive) with subject to operating power factor. 3. Wiring and operating of the Power Factor Correction Unit with the aid of diagram provided. 4. Wiring and operating resistive, inductive and capacitive loading unit>

RESULTS and ANALYSIS DATA Formula used: | (| |) |

PART D TABLE 4 Step L>R 1>3 2>3 3>3 4>3 5>3 6>3 Operating IT (A) 2.70 3.20 3.80 4.50 5.20 6.00 Operating (pf) 0.98 0.90 0.81 0.72 0.64 0.39 Power W 1901.95 2070.15 2212.47 2328.92 2392.17 1881.99 Output factor, k 0.1256 0.1556 0.3953 0.6352 0.8719 2,0324 Desired PF 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 Required VAR 322.12 874.59 1479.33 2030.59 3418.48 Required Step 1 2 3 3 4 *Real (pf) 0.99 0.99 0.99 0.95 0.96

Power Factor Correction 2010

Manual Calculation: For 2>3: (| |)

For 3>3: (| |)

For 4>3: (| |)

For 5>3: (| |)

For 6>3: (| |)

The results in Table 4 shows the data obtained when the step of resistance was set to 3. From Table 4, it is observed that the value of the operating current, IT, power and required Var increases as the inductive load increases. Meanwhile, the value of power factor decreases. When the value of operating

(pf) is

less than desired pf, 0.95, correction will be done by using capacitive load. It means that another step
will be added using capacitive load. However, after the power factor correction, the real power factor ranges from 0.95 to 0.99. In this case, only the step 1 inductive load which does not required any power factor correction. From the required VAR, we can round off to the nearest value using table 3 and choose a step so that it will help in correcting the power factor to be 0.95 and higher.

Power Factor Correction 2010

TABLE 5 Step L>R 1>5 2>5 3>5 4>5 5>5 6>5 Operating IT (A) 4.50 4.80 5.30 5.90 6.50 7.20 Operating (pf) 1.00 0.96 0.92 0.86 0.81 0.75 Power W 3234.60 3312.24 3504.87 3647.20 3784.49 3881.53 Output factor, k 0.3287 0.3370 0;0973 0.2647 0.3953 0.5532 Desired PF 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 Required VAR 342.78 965.41 1496.01 2147.26 Required Step 1 2 3 4 *Real (pf) 0.96 0.97 0.97 0.98

Manual Calculation: For 3>5: (| |)

For 4>5: (| |)

For 5>5: (| |)

For 6>5: (| |)

The results in Table 5 shows the data obtained when the step of resistance was set to 5. From Table 5, it is observed that the value of the operating current, IT, power and required Var increases as the inductive load increases. In the meantime, the value of power factor decreases. When the inductive increases to 6, the current increases to 7.20A meanwhile the operating drops to 0.75. The maximum operating power factor 1.00 and the maximum required Var is 2147.26 Var. In this case, only 4 steps of inductive load required correction by installing capacitive load. After the power factor correction, the real power factor ranges from 0.96 to 0.98. 3

Power Factor Correction 2010

TABLE 6 Step L>R 1>8 2>8 3>8 4>8 5>8 6>8 Operating IT (A) 7.30 7.50 7.90 8.30 8.70 9.30 Operating (pf) 1.00 0.99 0.97 0.94 0.91 0.87 Power W 5247.25 5337.10 5508.17 5608.09 5628.21 5815.82 Output factor, k 0.3287 0.1862 0.0781 0.0344 0.1560 0.2380 Desired PF 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 Required VAR 192.92 878.00 1384.17 Required Step 1 2 2 *Real (pf) 0.97 0.98 0.95

Manual Calculation: For 4>8: (| |)

For 5>8: (| |)

For 6>8: (| |)

The results in Table 5 shows the data obtained when the step of resistance was set to 8. From Table 5, it is observed that the value of the operating current, IT, power and required Var keeping increases as the inductive load increases. In the same time, the value of power factor decreases. When the inductive increases to 6, the current increases to 9.300A meanwhile the operating drops to 0.87. The maximum operating power factor 1.00 and the maximum required Var is 1384.17 Var. In this part, only 3 steps of inductive load required correction by installing capacitive load. After the power factor correction, the real power factor ranges from 0.95 to 0.98.

Power Factor Correction 2010

DISCUSSION The objective of power factor correction is to reduce the power losses in conductors. Uncorrected power factor will cause power losses in the distribution system and therefore one might experience voltage drops as the power losses increase. This extreme voltage drops will cause overheating and premature failure of motors and other inductive equipment. Besides that power factor corrector will reduce the loading on a transformer. Low power factor From the results obtained, all the value of required Var obtained should be in negative values which show it is decreases as the inductive loading increases. Due to the modulus | | that apply on the formula k, the value of k shows positively. Hence, it is consider as decreases when inductive loading increases. Also, we notice that the higher the inductive load, the higher the operating current. This is because inductive loads require the current to create a magnetic field, and the magnetic field produces the desired work. Therefore when inductive load increase the operating current will increase. Other than that, noticed that power factor decreases as the inductive load increases. This low power factor is caused by inductive load, such as electric motor, transformer and high-intensity discharge lighting which are the major portion of power consumed in industrial complexes. Low power factor is expensive and inefficient as many utility companies will charge an additional fee if the power factor is less than 0.85 for Malaysia. Low power factor also reduces the electrical systems distribution capacity by increasing current flow and causing voltage drops. Therefore a system of correction is needed to correct the power factor to that of the desired. From the experiment, the correction was done by install another capacitive load to the circuit drawing which can decrease the magnitude of reactive power. This can be explained through Figure 3.1. From the Figure 3.1, reactive power, kVAR caused by inductance always acts at a angle to real power.

Capacitors store kVAR and release energy opposing the reactive energy caused by inductor. This implies that inductance and capacitance react to each other. The presence of both in the same circuit results

in the continuous alternating transfer of energy between the capacitor and the inductor, thereby reducing the current flow from the generator to the circuit. When the circuit is balanced, all the energy released by the inductor is absorbed by the capacitor. Hence, the power factor has been improved until more than 0.95 after power factor correction. Capacitance Real Power

Figure 3.1

Reactance

Power Factor Correction 2010

Besides, the power factor is greater as the resistive increases. This is because the resistance is directly proportional to the real power factor which is directly proportional to the power factor. It is observed in Table 5 that the required VAR at the beginning is high and drops as the inductive loading steps increases. This is due to the inductivity of the load. When the reactive components increase, the power factor will stay more nearer to 1. Whenever the resistance is increase, the power factor will be draw nearer to 1 because resistance increases the real power and power factor is the ratio of real power to reactive power, when real power increases, the power factor will increase. However it is impossible for the real power to be more then the reactive power therefore power factor will always stay below 1.

QUESTION 1. What are the advantages of power factor correction? The advantages of power correction are: Reduces utility bill. Increases the capacity of the electrical systems branch. Improves the voltage conditions and less voltage drops. Reduces power losses in conductors. Reduces loading on transformers.

CONCLUSION After completing this experiment, students learnt the weakness of low power factor which is expensive and inefficient and able to understand more about the power factor correction. Besides, students are learnt about the method to correct the power factor from the calculated reactive power compensation with subject to operating power factor. Students also able to wiring and operating of the Power Factor Correction Unit, resistive, inductive and capacitance load unit with the aid of diagram provided. For very large systems, even capacitors get unwieldy. Power factor correction is very important in industrial sector because it helps them to reduce the power losses, reduce the loading on transformer and therefore it reduces the cost of the bill.

Power Factor Correction 2010

REFERENCES

[1]

Electric Machinery And Power System Fundamentals, Chapman Stephen J., McGraw-Hill,2002.

[2]

Electrical Machines, Drives and Power Systems; Theodore Wildi, Prentice Hall, 2006. Power System Analysis 2nd Edition Hadi Saadat, 2004.

[3]

[4]

Power System Analysis, Nagsarkar T. K. and Sukhija M. S., Oxford, 2007

[5]

Power System Analysis, Das J. C., Marcel Dekker Inc, 2002