How to calculate number of steps & reactive power of the

capacitor banks
electrical-engineering-portal.com /calculate-number-steps-capacitor-banks

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Capacitor banks and steps

Depending on the size of a compensation unit, it is assembled with capacitors of equal size (in bigger units) or of
different size. A unit with a total reactive power of, for example, 300 kvar consists of six power capacitors, of 50 kvar
each.

Thus the number of capacitors is identical to the number of steps: six capacitors controlled by six steps.

How to calculate number of steps & reactive power of the capacitor banks (photo credit: Janitza
electronics)

However, compensation banks with unequal steps, for example 50 kvar and 25 kvar (see Figure 1), enable
compensation in fine-stepping mode. Smaller units up to 150 kvar approximately have combinations of different-
sized capacitors for economic reasons.

A compensation unit with a total of 110 kvar for instance is assembled with four capacitors of 10, 20 and 2 40
kvar (ratio 1:2:4:4) to enable control in 11 steps. Older power factor relays control with a fixed switching program,
the so-called geometrical switching sequence (see Figure 2).
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 Modern relays pick out the correct capacitor size by referring to the actual demand of reactive
power directly.

After determination of the total demand of reactive

power to be compensated, it is then decided which
types of compensation units (see this article) should
be used. With regard to their locations, it should be
kept in mind that the leads should be unburdened
from reactive power at all time.

The power losses (kWh) along the leads increase in

a squared manner with the apparent power (I 2R).

In smaller installations often one central-type

compensation is quite sufficient. The power factor
requested by the electricity supplier is to be kept on
average within one billing period. Brief deviations
from the power factor target must not be controlled
quickly. Thus switching time delays per step of
30 to 40 s are quite sufficient.

It must be taken into consideration that shorter

delays increase the number of switching operations,
which often are counted up by modern power factor
relays.

Another criterion for choosing compensation banks

is the type of consumer. If there are only a few
consumers with high rated power, a capacitor bank
with rough stepping control is applicable.
Installations with many middle-sized or small-sized
consumers require compensation with fine-stepping
control.
Figure 1 Reactor-protected compensation bank of 400 kvar, 400 V, 50 Hz, 16
25 kvar (photo credit: Frako Kondensatoren und Anlagenbau GmbH,
Germany)
For this purpose more expensive
compensation units with up to 12 or
even 14 steps are available (Figure 3).

Where:

(a) Control unit including power factor relay

(b) Basic unit with steps 16
(c) Extension unit with steps 712
F1 main fuses
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 F2 control fuses
F3 capacitor fuses
K1K12 contactors
P1 power factor relay
T1 power transformer
T2 current transformer (to be installed at the distribution panel)
X1 control terminal
X2 plug connections between the modules

During the projecting period, a possible extension in future should be taken into consideration. This is to plan for
enough
space for
the
extension
unit and

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 Figure 2 Fixed switching programs for equal- or unequal-sized capacitors

Figure 3 Schematic circuit diagram of a compensation unit ready for installation:

furthermore to install a power factor relay with the additional control exits.

Most of the electronic power factor relays on the market are able to recognize unengaged steps automatically
and take them out of operation. If the extension unit is installed, the existing compensation must be volt-free
including the power factor relay.

On completion of the installation, the extended compensation unit will be re-energized. First of all, the power factor
relay checks all exits from the outset and recognizes the new capacitor steps (see Figure 4a and 4b).

Older power factor relays still working in many plants around the world follow a strict switching program, for example
switching step 1 up to 6 or down from 6 to 1 or 0 (see Figure 2, arithmetic sequence).

This program contains a major disadvantage with regard to the operating hours per step: In the worst case step 1
is energized all the time compared with step 6 which had never been switched in!

Therefore modern power factor relays have changed to the so-called rotational or circular switching program as
shown in Figure 5. This program distributes the operating hours equally to the capacitors.
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The capacitor energized for the longest time during the control procedure will be disconnected first and the capacitor
which has been switched off the longest time will be connected next. Even for instance at finishing time on Friday
(see sectors A & B), if all capacitors are switched off, on Monday morning then capacitor 7 or 3 will be energized
first referring to sectors C and D accordingly, provided that there was no zero volt tripping in the meantime.

As mentioned above, smaller compensation units work with capacitors of different sizes, for example 10 kvar, 20
kvar and two capacitors of 40 kvar each. Due to the power ratio 1:2:4:4, the so-called geometric sequence (see
Figure 2) is used many
times.

The first step of 10 kvar

symbolizes the stepping size
of the compensation bank
and has the highest number
of switching operations
during its life. It will be
switched in and out four
times up to the final step 7,
strictly following the
switching program.

However, modern
microprocessor-controlled
power factor relays always
pick out the relevant
capacitor, depending on
the actual deviation of
reactive power.

This saves switching

operations regarding the 10
and 20 kvar capacitor
especially; they will be
brought into the control
procedure if the actual
deviation of reactive power
exceeds two-thirds (66%) of Figure 4 Power factor controller: 30525 V, 50/60 Hz; up to 12 control outputs suitable for four-quadrant
operation (photo credit: Condensator Dominit GmbH, Germany)
either 10 or 20 kvar only. This
determines the so-called
C/k value value that is calculated by the step size C divided by the ratio k of the current transformer .

Threshold Level C/k Value

Most compensation banks are controlled stepwise. For this purpose it is essential to know when it is allowed to
(de)activate a capacitor step by the power factor relay.

The so-called C/k value is calculated by the step size C divided by the ratio k of the current
transformer.
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It is clear that a capacitor with, for instance, 50 kvar may not be switched in if the power factor relay measures a
deviation of just 10 kvar reactive power with regard to the preadjusted power factor target. If so, 40 kvar would hang
over to the other side of the line representing the power factor target (see Figure 6).

The relay would switch off due to the level of 10 kvar. This procedure, called hunting (oscillating), would repeat
steadily. This danger occurred in older power factor relays with manual C/k adjustment when it was preset
wrongly, or too low. Two-thirds (66%) of a step size at least must exist as deviation to enter the control procedure.
The percentage may vary between 65 and 85% with reference to realistic tolerances of the capacitor, current
transformer and power factor relay itself.

The C/k value symbolizes a threshold level running in parallel to both sides symmetrically of the so-called reverse
line presenting the desired power factor target cos d (see Figure 6). Thus the bandwidth of an insensitive
zone arises.

If the sensed
apparent current
vector lies within
the bandwidth,
any control of
reactive power is
to be stopped.
If the vector
exceeds the
threshold level to
the right, the
power factor relay
has to switch in
capacitor steps.
If the vector
exceeds the
threshold level to
the left, capacitor
steps have to be
disconnected in
order to bring the
vector within the
bandwidth again.

All power factor

relays have to follow
the mathematical
description
accordingly in order
to avoid any Figure 5 Reactive power control relay: 400 V/230 V, 50 Hz; 12 control outputs; suitable for four-quadrant-operation
(photo credit: Frako Kondensatoren und Anlagenbau GmbH, Germany)
hunting:

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Where:

C/k necessary level of reactive current to enter control procedure (Ar = amperes reactive)
Qc capacitor step (kvar)
U delta voltage of the grid (kV)

Figure 5 Circular or rotational switching program, illustrated as desired

k ratio of the current transformer

In modern microprocessor-controlled relays the correct C/k adjustment ensues automatically. They succumb to
the minimum of sensibility of 1% as well; at lower values the relays are not able to recognize capacitor steps.
Therefore the C/k value and its meaning are very important to aid understanding.
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In time, reactive power factor relays with manual C/k adjustment are destined to die out.

Reference // Reactive power compensation by Wolfgang Hofmann, Jurgen Schlabbach and Wolfgang Just
(Purchase hardcopy from Amazon)

Figure 6 Function between cos d line and C/k line

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