This document describes an experiment on power factor correction. The experiment aims to measure current and power using a power quality analyzer in a single-phase system and understand the relationship between power factor and current. Most household appliances and industrial loads are inductive and operate at a low lagging power factor. Adding a capacitor in parallel with an inductive load can correct the power factor by reducing the phase difference between the voltage and current. The procedure connects resistor, inductor and capacitor load banks and measures current, power, reactive power and power factor as the capacitance is increased.
This document describes an experiment on power factor correction. The experiment aims to measure current and power using a power quality analyzer in a single-phase system and understand the relationship between power factor and current. Most household appliances and industrial loads are inductive and operate at a low lagging power factor. Adding a capacitor in parallel with an inductive load can correct the power factor by reducing the phase difference between the voltage and current. The procedure connects resistor, inductor and capacitor load banks and measures current, power, reactive power and power factor as the capacitance is increased.
This document describes an experiment on power factor correction. The experiment aims to measure current and power using a power quality analyzer in a single-phase system and understand the relationship between power factor and current. Most household appliances and industrial loads are inductive and operate at a low lagging power factor. Adding a capacitor in parallel with an inductive load can correct the power factor by reducing the phase difference between the voltage and current. The procedure connects resistor, inductor and capacitor load banks and measures current, power, reactive power and power factor as the capacitance is increased.
This document describes an experiment on power factor correction. The experiment aims to measure current and power using a power quality analyzer in a single-phase system and understand the relationship between power factor and current. Most household appliances and industrial loads are inductive and operate at a low lagging power factor. Adding a capacitor in parallel with an inductive load can correct the power factor by reducing the phase difference between the voltage and current. The procedure connects resistor, inductor and capacitor load banks and measures current, power, reactive power and power factor as the capacitance is increased.
1. To measure current and power using Fluke 43B in single-phase system.
2. To understand the relation between power factor and current.
LIST OF REQUIREMENTS
EQUIPMENT:
1. Adjustable Power Supply
2. Fluke 43B power quality analyzer
COMPONENT:
1. Resistor load bank
2. Inductor load bank 3. Capacitor load bank
THEORY
Most household appliance (such as washing machine) and refrigerator and industrial load (such as induction motors) are inductive and operate at low lagging power factor. These loads draw more current and increase the energy lost and requires large wire and other equipment. Although the inductive nature of the load cannot be changed, we can increase its power factor. The process of increasing the power factor without altering the voltage and current to the original load is known as power factor correction. Since most loads are inductive, a load’s power factor is corrected by installing a capacitor in parallel with the load as shown in Figure 5.1. It is evident from Figure 5.2 that adding the capacitor has caused the phase between the voltage and current is reduced from θ1 to θ2, thereby increase the power factor. Figure 5.1
1. Configure the jumper on the load banks to single-phase 230 V as shown in Figure 5.3.
2. Connect the power circuit as shown in Figure 5.4. Make sure the inductor bank is set to minimum and capacitor bank to 0%. Set the resistor knob of the resistor bank to 25% setting.
3. Set the supply voltage to 120 V.
4. Tune the inductor bank to get a load current of 3 A.
5. Increase the capacitance value as indicate in the Table 5.1. Record the value of all single-phase current, real power, apparent power, reactive power, and total P.F into Table 5.1.
Table 5.1: Measurement of Current and Power for single-phase circuit.
Capacitance P S Q P.F. IS (%) (`kW) (kVA) (kVAr) (A) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Is R
Vs L
(a) (b) Figure 5.4: (a) A simple single-phase power system (b) Connection diagram
DISCUSSION
1. Describe the effect of capacitor to the inductive load.
2. What is the best percentage value of capacitor that results the excellence power factor? 3. Explain why the current increase at 35% capacitance and onward.
