Ch 10

Power factor correction

Ch10
Power factor correction

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

1-Introduction
For any load has current I in (ampere) and voltage V in (volt), so it is has apparent power S = V * I (V.A), where this apparent include (indicate) two types of power which are active power and reactive power.

2-Real Power
The actual amount of power being used, or dissipated, in a circuit is called true power, and it is measured in watts (symbolized by the capital letter P, as always).

3-Reactive Power
We know that reactive loads such as inductors and capacitors dissipate zero power, yet the fact that they drop voltage and draw current gives the deceptive impression that they actually do dissipate power. This phantom power is called reactive power, and it is measured in a unit called Volt-Amps-Reactive (VAR), rather than watts. The mathematical symbol for reactive power is (unfortunately) the capital letter Q.

4-Apparent Power
The combination of reactive power and true power is called apparent power, and it is the product of a circuit's voltage and current, without reference to phase angle. Apparent power is measured in the unit of Volt-Amps (VA) and is symbolized by the capital letter S.

5-Power Factor
Power factor is the ratio of true power or watts to apparent power or volt amps. They The power in an ac circuit is very seldom equal to the direct product of the volts and amperes. In order to find the power of a single phase ac circuit the product of volts and amperes must be multiplied by the power factor.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

6-Why Power Factor change?

Inductive loads cause the AMPS to lag behind the VOLTS. The wave forms of VOLTS and AMPS are then "out of phase" with each other. The more out of phase they become then the lower the Power Factor. Power Factor is usually expressed as Cos(phi). In 3 phase power supplies the "power" can be measured as a triangle. ACTIVE Power is the base line and is the real usable power measured in kW. REACTIVE power is the vertical or that part of the supply which causes the inductive load. The reactive power in is measured in kVAR (kilo volt-amperes reactive APPARENT Power is the hypotenuse. This is the resultant of the other two components and is measured in kVA.

7-Power factor correction

Capacitive Power Factor correction (PFC) is applied to electric circuits as a means of minimizing the inductive component of the current and thereby reducing the losses in the supply. The introduction of Power Factor Correction capacitors is a widely recognized method of reducing an electrical load, thus minimizing wasted energy and hence improving the efficiency of a plant and reducing the electricity bill.. It is not usually necessary to reach unity, i.e. Power Factor 1, since most supply companies are happy with a PF of 0.95 to 0.98.

8-Benefits of Power Factor Correction

There are numerous benefits to be gained through power factor correction. These benefits range from reduced demand charges on your power system to increased load carrying capabilities in your existing circuits and overall reduced power system loses. And the benefits of power factor correction arent just limited to the balance sheet; there are also huge environmental benefits associated with power factor correction, which means your company is reducing its carbon footprint and helping the environment.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

I.

Reduced Demand Charges

Most electric utility companies charge for maximum metered demand based on either the highest registered demand in kilowatts (KW meter), or a percentage of the highest registered demand in KVA (KVA meter), whichever is greater. If the power factor is low, the percentage of the measured KVA will be significantly greater than the KW demand. Improving the power factor through power factor correction will therefore lower the demand charge, helping to reduce your electricity bill.

II.

Increased Load Existing Circuits

Carrying

Capabilities

In

Loads drawing reactive power also demand reactive current. Installing power factor correction capacitors at the end of existing circuits near the inductive loads reduces the current carried by each circuit. The reduction in current flow resulting from improved power factor may allow the circuit to carry new loads, saving the cost of upgrading the distribution network when extra capacity is required for additional machinery or equipment, saving your company thousands of dollars in unnecessary upgrade costs. In addition, the reduced current flow reduces resistive losses in the circuit.

III.

Improved Voltage

A lower power factor causes a higher current flow for a given load. As the line current increases, the voltage drop in the conductor increases, which may result in a lower voltage at the equipment. With an improved power factor, the voltage drop in the conductor is reduced, improving the voltage at the equipment.

IV.

Reduced Power System Losses

Although the financial return from conductor loss reduction alone is seldom sufficient to justify the installation of capacitors, it is sometimes an attractive additional benefit; especially in older plants with long feeders or in field pumping operations. System conductor losses are proportional to the current squared and, since the current is reduced in direct proportion to the power factor improvement, the losses are inversely proportional to the square of the power factor.

V.

Reduced Carbon Footprint

By reducing your power systems demand charge through power factor correction, your company is putting less strain on the electricity grid, therefore reducing its carbon footprint. Over time, this lowered demand on the electricity grid can account for hundreds of tons of reduced carbon production, all thanks to the improvement of your power systems electrical efficiency via power factor correction.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

VI. Reduce power bills &avoid penalty by electric company

power

factor

When we improve the power factor we reduce the value of apparent power which we make a contract with the electricity company and this is very clear in the following example:

From the previous example it is very clear to us that after we make the power factor correction (connected capacitors units parallel to the loads) the value of apparent power which needed from the source(electricity company) become 100 KVA instead of 200 KVA without power factor correction. Also electricity companies make Penalty and reward to big consumers (industrial loads) which their loads have power factor away from 90%:92% as the following

For example:
# if factory has annual power bill 1,000,000 LE and has average power factor 0.7, so this factory will pay penalty to the electricity company which equal: (0.9-0.7) x 0.5 x1000000 =100000 LE add to the annual power bill.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

# If factory has annual power bill 1,000,000 LE and has average power factor 0.95, so this factory will have discount from the electricity company which equal: (0.95-0.92)x 0.5x 1000000 =15,000 LE remove from the annual bill

9-Methods of power factor correction

I. Capacitor
The most widely used power corrective device is a capacitor, similar to a battery. The actual difference between a battery and a capacitor lies in the the fact that a battery already comes with stored energy and it cannot discharge it instantaneously. When a facility does not have a high power factor, the electric company provides more electricity than needed to accommodate for the low power factor. A capacitor, like a battery, stores some of this excess energy. When a device connected to the capacitor needs energy, the capacitor immediately provides it. For example, a motor needs to draw power to start. If connected to a correctly sized capacitor, it will draw power from the capacitor, reducing the amount of power it calls for from the power company, increasing PF.

10- Capacitor Bank Used in Correction

Low-voltage power-factor correction capacitor
2.5 - 20 kVAR, max. 690 V | Varplus Three-phase capacitors 50/60 Hz Description Varplus modular capacitors are used to build capacitor Banks for power factor correction on low voltage networks. They allow by their different assembly combination to Cover all the power ratings you could need, depending on the voltage, Frequency and harmonic pollution level of the network. Technical data Frequency:50 or 60Hz Network voltage:230 690V Rated voltage:280 690V VAR Possibility of association with detuned reactors detuned reactors tuning:2.7(135Hz), 3.8(190Hz), 4.3(215Hz) Temperature class: class D (55C) Standards:CEI 60831 1/2, CSA 22-2 N190, UL.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

11-Installation of Correction Capacitors

I. Global compensation
Where a load is continuous and stable, Global compensation can be applied Principle The capacitor bank is connected to the bus bars Of the main LV distribution board for the installation, And remains in service during the period of normal load.

II. Compensation by sector

Compensation by sector is recommended when The installation is extensive, and where The load/time patterns differ from one part Of the installation to another Principle Capacitor banks are connected to bus bars Of each local distribution board, as shown in A significant part of the installation benefits From this arrangement, notably the feeder Cables from the main distribution board to Each of the local distribution boards at which The compensation measures are applied.

III. Individual compensation

Individual compensation should be considered when the power of motor is significant with respect to power of the installation. Principle Capacitors are connected directly to the terminals of inductive circuit. Individual compensation should be considered when the power of the motor is significant with respect to the declared power requirement (KVA) of the installation. The KVAR motor. Complementary compensation at the origin of the installation (transformer) may also be beneficial.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

12-Calculation of required capacitor:

I. First method
To compute the capacity of capacitors needed to improve the power factor of certain plane, the electrical designer must know the following: The active of the loads, the power factor of the loads and the needed power factor And from the shown diagram we can conclude the following laws :

Sold = P/ P.F old = P/ Cos old Q old = Sold x Sin old = (P/ Cos old) x Sin old = P x Tan old S new = P/ P.F new= P/ Cos new Q new = S new x Sin new = (P/ Cos new) x Sin new = P x Tan new

QC = Q new Q old

II.

Suppose Actual P.F is 0.8, Required P.F is 0.98 and Total Load is 516KVA. Power factor = KW/KVA KW = kVA x Power Factor = 516 x 0.8 = 412.8 Required capacitor = kW x Multiplying Factor = 412.8 x 0.547 (See Table to nd Value according to P.F 0.8 to P.F of 0.98) = 225.80 kVAR

Second method

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

Multiplying factor for calculating kVAR

13-Application in our project

Let we take LCD Factory as a simple application:

i) Power factor correction of chiller unit

The apparent power of chiller units is 785.54 KVA Q=S X Sinold =785.54 X Sin31.788=413.8KVAR

II.

First method
old= Cos-1 (0.85) =31.7880

Cosold=0.85

Cosnew=0.95 new= Cos-1 (0.95) =18.190 P=S X P.F p=785.54 X 0.85=677.709 KW QC =677.709 X [Tan (31.788)-Tan (18.19)] =194.4 KVAR

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 10

Power factor correction

III. Second method

By using table: The intersection between the row of Cosold =0.85(before correction) & the row of Cosnew =0.95 (after correction) indicate the value of 0.291 KVAR of compensation per KW of load. p=785.54 X 0.85=677.709 KW QC=677.709 X 0.291=197.21 KVAR The remain reactive power which is not compensated is 0.05 of the old reactive power so Its equal .05 X 413.8=20.26 KVAR ii) Power factor correction for loads The apparent power of loads=675.756 Q = S X Sinold =675.756 X Sin31.788=3559 .97KVAR P=S X P.F p=675.756 X 0.85=574.39 .97 KW total =355.97 +20.69=376.66 .97 KAVR Stotal = total / Sinold =376.66 / Sin31.788=715.03 .97 KAV P total = Stotal X 0.85 =715.03 X 0.85 =607.77 KW

IV. First method

Cosold=0.85 Cosnew=0.95 P=S X P.F old= Cos-1 (0.85) =31.7880 new= Cos-1 (0.95) =18.190 p=715.03 X0.85 =607.77 KW

QC=607.77 [Tan (31.788) - Tan (18.19)] QC=176.95 KVAR

V.

Second method:

By using the table: The intersection between the row of Cosold =0.85(before correction) & the row of Cosnew =0.95(after correction) indicate the value of 0.291 KVAR of compensation per KW of load. p=715.03 X 0.85 =607.77 KW QC= 607.77 X 0.291 =176.979 KVAR The rating of supply transformer = 755 KVAR a t P.F=0.85 So 755X 15/100 =113.25KVAR So the total amount of reactive power required is =176.95+194.4=371.35KVAR So we use automatic capacitor unit bank because the required reactive power more than15% of rating of Transformer.

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012

Ch 5

Load estimation & Power Design

11

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Power Distribution 2012