• Lecture 4 : Power Factor

Presented by:
Mr. Awin Gupta
AP,EED,GHEC
Why discussion in power quality ??

• Power factor is a power quality issue in that low power factor can
sometimes cause equipment to fail.

• In many instances, the cost of low power factor can be high; utilities
penalize facilities that have low power factor because they find it difficult
to meet the resulting demands for electrical energy.

• The study of power quality is about optimizing the performance of the

power system at the lowest possible operating cost.
 ACTIVE AND REACTIVE POWER

• Apparent power ( S ) in an electrical system can be defined as being equal to

voltage times current:

• S=V×I (1Ø) ; S = √3 × V × I (3∅)

where, V = phase-to-phase voltage (V) and

I = line current (A)

• Power factor ( PF ) may be viewed as the percentage of the total apparent

power that is converted to real or useful power. Thus, active power (P) can
be defined by:

S = V × I × PF (1Ø) ; S = √3 × V × I × PF (3∅)

• In an electrical system, if the power factor is 0.80, 80% of the apparent

power is converted into useful work.
• Active power is the portion of the apparent power that performs useful work
and supplies losses in the electrical equipment that are associated with doing
the work.

• Higher power factor leads to more optimum use of electrical current in a

facility.

Can a power factor reach 100%?

• In theory it can, but in practice it cannot without some form of power factor
correction device.

• The reason why it can approach 100% power factor but not quite reach it is
because all electrical circuits have inductance and capacitance, which
introduce reactive power requirements.
• The reactive power is the power that an AC electrical system requires in
order to perform useful work in the system. Reactive power sets up a
magnetic field in the motor so that a torque is produced.

• It is also the power that sets up a magnetic field in a transformer core

allowing transfer of power from the primary to the secondary windings.
• In an electrical circuit, the apparent and reactive powers are represented by
the power triangle shown-
• The following relationships apply:

where ,S = apparent power, P = active power, Q = reactive power, and Ø is the

power factor angle.

• Let us consider a circuit as-

V is the voltage applied to a circuit and I is the current in the circuit. In an

inductive circuit, the current lags the voltage by angle Ø, as shown in the
figure, and Ø is called the power factor angle.
• If XL is the inductive reactance given by:
XL = 2 π fL
Also ,total impedance ( Z) is given by:
Z = R + j XL
• The power factor angle is calculated from the expression:
tanØ = (XL / R ) or Ø = tan –1 (XL / R )
• The negative power factor angle indicates that the current leads the
voltage by 69.35°.
 DISPLACEMENT AND TRUE POWER FACTOR

• The terms displacement and true power factor, are widely mentioned in
power factor studies.

• Displacement power factor is the cosine of the angle between the

fundamental voltage and current waveforms. The fundamental waveforms
are by definition pure sinusoids.

• But, if the waveform distortion is due to harmonics (which is very often the
case), the power factor angles are different than what would be for the
fundamental waves alone.

• True power factor is calculated as the ratio between the total active power
used in a circuit (including harmonics) and the total apparent power
(including harmonics) supplied from the source
• So certain devices must be inserted in a power system which produces

leading currents in the power system network.

Examples- Capacitor banks, Synchronous Condenser, Synchronous coil

 OTHER ADVANTAGES OF POWER FACTOR
CORRECTION

• Correcting low power factor has other benefits besides avoiding penalties
imposed by the utilities.

• Other advantages of improving the power factor include:

[Link] heating in equipment

2. Increased equipment life

3. Reduction in energy losses and operating costs

4. Freeing up available energy

5. Reduction of voltage drop in the electrical system

• The total apparent power saved due to power factor correction can be
available to supply other plant loads or help minimize capital costs in case of
future plant expansion.

• As current drawn from the source is lowered, the voltage drop in the power
system is also reduced.

• This is important in large industrial facilities or high-rise commercial

buildings, which are typically prone to excessive voltage sags.
 VOLTAGE RISE DUE TO CAPACITANCE

• When large power factor correction capacitors are present in an electrical

system, the flow of capacitive current through the power system impedance
can actually .

• When large power factor correction capacitors are present in an electrical

system, the flow of capacitive current through the power system impedance
can actually.

• In some instances, utilities will actually switch on large capacitor banks to

effect a voltage rise on the power system at the end of long transmission
lines.
•Depending on the voltage levels and the reactive power demand of the
loads, the capacitors may be switched in or out in discrete steps.
•Voltage rise in the power system is one reason why the utilities do not
permit large levels of uncompensated leading kVARs to be drawn from the
power lines.
• During the process of selecting capacitor banks for power factor correction,
the utilities should be consulted to determine the level of leading kVARs that
can be drawn.

• This is not a concern when the plant or the facility is heavily loaded, because
the leading kVARs would be essentially canceled by the lagging reactive
power demand of the plant.

• But, during light load periods, the leading reactive power is not fully
compensated and therefore might be objectionable to the utility.

• For applications where large swings in reactive power requirements are

expected, a switched capacitor bank might be worth the investment.
• Such a unit contains a power factor controller that senses and regulates the
power factor by switching blocks of capacitors in and out.

• Such equipment is more expensive.

 APPLICATION OF SYNCHRONOUS
CONDENSERS

• The capacitor banks must be selected and applied based on power system
harmonic studies.

• This is necessary to eliminate conditions that can actually amplify the

harmonics and create conditions that can render the situation considerably
worse.

• One means of providing leading reactive power is by the use of

synchronous motors. Synchronous motors applied for power factor control
are called synchronous condensers.
• A synchronous motor normally draws lagging currents, but when its field is
overexcited, the motor draws leading reactive currents.

• By adjusting the field currents, the synchronous motor can be made to

operate in the lagging, unity, or leading power factor region.

• Facilities that contain large AC motors are best suited for the application.

• Replacing an AC induction motor with a synchronous motor operating in the

leading power factor region is an effective means of power factor control.

• Some facilities and utilities use unloaded synchronous motors strictly for
leading reactive power generation.

• The advantage of using a synchronous condenser is the lack of harmonic

resonance problems sometimes found with the use of passive capacitor
banks.
 STATIC VAR COMPENSATORS

• Static VAR compensators (SVCs) use static power control devices such as
SCRs or IGBTs and switch a bank of capacitors and inductors to generate
reactive currents of the required makeup.

• Leading reactive power is needed to improve the power factor and also to
raise the voltage at the end of long power lines.

• Lagging reactive power is sometimes necessary at the end of long

transmission lines to compensate for the voltage rise experienced due to
capacitive charging currents of the lines.
• Static VAR compensators perform both functions as needed.

• By controlling the voltage to the capacitors and inductors, accurate reactive

current control is obtained.

• One drawback of using SVCs is the generation of a considerable amount of

harmonic currents that may have to be filtered.

• The cost of SVCs is also high, so they will not be economical for small
power users.
 CONCLUSIONS

• Good power factor is not necessarily critical for most equipment to function
in a normal manner.

• Having low power factor does not cause a piece of machinery to shut down,
but high power factor is important for the overall health of the power system.

• Operating in a high power factor environment ensures that the power system
is functioning efficiently. It also makes economic sense.

• Electrical power generation, transmission, and distribution equipment have

maximum rated currents that the machines can safely handle.
• If these levels are exceeded, the equipment operates inefficiently and suffers
a loss of life expectancy. This is why it is important not to exceed the rated
currents for power system equipment.

• As the demand for electrical energy continues to grow and the resources for
producing the energy become less and less available, the idea of not using
more than what we need takes on more relevance.