FEASIBILITY REPORT

Title of Project

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Submitted to:
Sir Naveel

Submitted by:
Saad Farooq (2010-UET-ShCET-LHR-ELECT-31)
Talal Ahmad (2010-UET-ShCET-LHR-ELECT-08)
Malik Roshan Farooq (2010-UET-ShCET-LHR-ELECT-32)
Department of Electrical Engineering

Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Literature Survey:

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Power factor correction is an old practice and different researchers are

working hard to design and develop new system for the power factor correction.
Fuld et al. developed a combine power factor control with buck and boost
technique applied at three phase input supply, which present necessitate vantages at
high AC voltage, desired output voltage, e.g. 400 V, wide input voltage varieties
and no extra inrush clipper required.
Freitas et al. developed a dynamical study correspondence to the effects of
AC generators (induction and synchronous machines) and distribution static
synchronous compensator devices on the dynamic behaviour of distribution
networks.
Jone and Blackwell developed a technique for continue a synchronous motor
at unity power factor (or minimum line current) from no-load to full-load
conditions, insuring peak efficiency.
Kim et al. purposed a high-efficient line conditioner with excellent
performance. The line conditioner comprises of a three-leg rectifier-inverter, which
functioned as a boost converter and a buck converter.
Kiprakis and Wallace purposed the entailment of the enhanced capability of
the synchronous generators at the distant ends of rural distribution networks where
the line resistances were high and the (cos) or the power factor ratios were small.
Local voltage variation was specifically analyzed.
Sharkawi et al. proposed an adaptive power factor controller for threephase induction generator. The controller sense the reactive current drawn by the
machine and accordingly provided the needed reactive power to improve the power
factor to as close to unity as possible. Controller was a modular, low-cost, harmonic
free device. It did not create any transients in line current. It was designed to
eliminate the self-excitation problems associated with induction generators. The
controller was tested on an induction generator.
Sharkawi et al. was proposed a continuing effort to develop a reliable, and
inexpensive adaptive power factor controller (APFC). The APFC was able to
compensate adaptively the reactive power of rapidly varying loads without adding
harmonics or transients to the power system. Based on thousands of hours of field
operation, the APFC had substantially modified to improve its reliability and
effectiveness.

Technical feasibility:
Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 2

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Above describe research work and much more has been presented in the area
of power factor improvement of inductive load. However we have proposed a new
algorithm for automatic detection and controlling of Power Factor for an inductive
load comprising of both induction motors as well as resistive load. Proposed
algorithm along with developed hardware setup works efficiently as compared to
the previous methods. Moreover detection and correction of power factor is very
fast. Microcontroller manipulates the developed algorithm to measure the needed
reactive power (VAR) that will be supplied through automatic switching of
capacitor banks for the improvement of power factor of the load.
Microcontroller base automatic controlling of power factor with load
monitoring is shown in Block Diagram. The principal element in the circuit is PIC
Microcontroller (18F452) that manipulates with 11MHz crystal in this scheme. The
current and voltage signal are acquired from the main AC line (L) by using Current
Transformer and Potential Transformer. These acquired signals are then pass on to
the zero crossing detector individually that transposed both current and voltage
waveforms to square-wave to make perceivable to the Microcontroller to observe
the zero crossing of current and voltage at the same time instant. Bridge Rectifier
for both current and voltage signals transposes the analogue signal to the digital
signal. Microcontroller read the RMS value for voltage and current used in its
algorithm to select the value of in demand capacitor for the load to correct the
power factor and monitors the behaviour of the enduring load on the basis of
current depleted by the load. Synchronizing circuit is developed to synchronize the
zero cross detection circuit, Microcontroller and LCD with incoming supply
voltage. In case of low power factor Microcontroller send out the signal to
switching unit (relay) that will switch on the in demand value of capacitor. The
tasks executed by the Microcontroller for correcting the low power factor by
selecting the in demand value of capacitor and load monitoring are shown in
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 3

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Block Diagram:

Fig. Our Proposed Method of Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Hardware Components:
The main components used in this project are:
Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 4

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Component
Description

Qty

ADC

LCD

Power Factor
Capacitor Bank

Current Transformer

Potential Transformer

Relay Control

Crystal 11.059MHz

Mix Capacitors +
Resistors

V-Board

Controller 8051

Controller 18F452

Financial feasibility:
Cost of Hardware:
Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 5
Fig. A kind of Capacitor Bank

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

The cost of the project is 10,000 to 15,000. The quotation of this hardware is
attached below;

PROJECT PLANNING TABLE REVIEW:

ACTIVITY

DURATION

Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

RESOURCE NAME

Page 6

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Selection of Project

APRIL(2013)June(2013)

FROM INTERNET,TEACHERS &

FRIENDS

Selection of Automatic
power factor
improvement

1 ST July to 30 Sep(2013)

SIR Naveel

APFC Searching

October (2013)

From internet and YouTube

Initial presentation and

project proposal report

1ST October to 15TH

October

From Sir Naveel, internet, YouTube

Feasibility report and

presentation

15TH OCTOBER-25TH
October(2013)

From internet and papers, Sir Naveel

Zero cross detector

study and
implementation on
proteaus
Implementation of
project on Proteaus
Programming on
microcontroller

24TH OCTOBER-15TH
NOVEMBER

From internet

4TH NOVEMBER(2013)15TH DECEMBER(2013)

15TH
DECEMBER(2013)-15TH
JANUARY(2014)

from our team co-ordination, from

internet & from Sir Naveel
From the help of Allah, ,from our mind,
Sir Naveel

Interfacing the
controller with our
circuit on Proteaus
Complete the Project
on Proteaus
HARDWARE PART

Complete the Project

,from internet &

TH

ND

15 JAN(2014)-22
JAN(2014)
22ND JAN(2014)-28TH
JAN(2014)

1ST March(2014)-23RD
MAY(2014)

24TH MAY(2014)-15TH
SEP(2014)

With our TEAM CO-ORDINATION.

From the help of ALLAH ,
From our TEAM CO-ORDINATION.

From our TEAM CO-ORDINATION.

FROM the HELP OF ALLAH

ALMIGHTY,

from sir Naveel, from

internet &
From our TEAM CO-ORDINATION.

Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 7

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Fully complete the

project, made report
and presentation of
Final year

JANUARY(2015)

FROM the HELP OF ALLAH

ALMIGHTY, from sir NAVEEL, &
From our TEAM WORK AND TEAM COORDINATION.

Gantt Chartt:
Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 8

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Project planning of our Project is shown via Gantt Chart Below in FigG a b
c d e and f;
Activity;

Fig G(a). Activity

Schedule of Phase 1:
Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 9

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Fig G(b). Schedule

Phase 1

Schedule of Phase 2:

Fig G(c). Schedule

Phase 2

Schedule of Phase 3:

Fig G(d). Schedule

Schedule of Phase
4: 3
Phase

Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 10

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

Fig G(e). Schedule Phase 4

A Rough Complete Gantt Chartt:

References:
Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 11

Automatic Power Factor Improvement

1) Kim, T.W.; Choi, J.H.; Kwon, B.H. (2004) High-Performance Line

Conditioner with Output Voltage Regulation and Power Factor Correction, IEEE
Proceedings on Electric Power Applications, Volume: 151, Issue: 1, Pages:
91- 97
2) Berthold Fuld'; Siegfried Kern; Ray Ridley (1991) A Combined Buck
and Boost Power-Factor-Controller for Three-Phase Input, IEEE
European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, Volume: 7,
Pages: 144-148.
3)

By Murad Ali, http://www.scribd.com/doc/177355752/4-Design-andImplementation-of-Microcontroller

4) https://globaljournals.org/GJRE_Volume13/4-Design-andImplementation-of-Microcontroller.pdf
5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_factor

Sharif College of Engineering & Technology

Page 12