Automatic Power Factor Measurement And Improvement Using Capacitor Bank

Abstract

In this electric power era, energy efficiency and utilization are considered the primary motives in the electrical power sector. Due to the extensive use of AC power and different loads, such as inductive load, there is concern about the power factor of the AC power system. Less power factor gives less efficiency and less utilization of electric machines power. We need the power factor value close to unity to get higher efficiency. A power factor correction system can improve the power factor value and maintain it close to the unity power factor using various compensation methods. In this system, we used a current and voltage transformer as input, two Zero detection circuits to determine the zero crossing point of voltage and current signal, and an Arduino UNO to control the power factor measurement, compensate and show the output. We also used inductive and resistive load in this system as load. To compensate for the power factor problem, we used a capacitor bank with a relay module, which gives leading capacitive KVAR to cancel the lagging inductive KVAR of the system due to lagging loads. The proposed system will increase efficiency and reduce losses of electrical power systems.