MINOR PROJECT REPORT

ON

AUTOMATIC POWER FACTOR DETECTION AND

CORRECTION USING ARDUINO

SUBMITTED BY

Ananya Aggarwal Kshitij Singh

20104005 20104036

Akagra Ravi Gautam Kapoor

20104024 20104041

Anmol Kumar Meha Aseri

20104025 20104055
Under the Guidance of

Prof. Sulata Bhandari

Department Of Electrical Engineering
PEC University Of Technology
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We avail this opportunity to express our profound sense of sincerity and deep

gratitude to all those who have played an integral role in the accomplishment of

the project work by providing their willing guidance and help.

We wish to express our deep gratitude for Professor Sulata Bhandari for her

encouragement and guidance throughout the project. Without her abiding

inspiration, generous guidance and encouragement, we would not have been

able to cope with the project work. The faith and confidence she kept has been

the driving force behind each step taken for the completion of this project. From

selecting the project to implementing it, she provided us with full attention and

advice that made this project possible.

Special thanks to Dr. Jagdish Kumar, HOD, Electrical Engineering Department,

PEC. We are also grateful to the college and staff of the Electrical Department,

who taught the fundamental essentials and gave us an opportunity to take up this

project which has been a great learning experience for us.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

AKNOWLEDGEMENT 1
1. Abstract 3
2. Introduction 4
3. Background 6
i) Power Factor
ii) Power Factor Correction
ii) Power Factor and Electrical Loads
4. Objective 11
5. Power factor in Resistor, Inductance 13
and Capacitance circuit
6. Components Used 17
i) Potential Transformer
ii) Current Sensor
ii) Capacitor
iv) 2 Module relay
v) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
vi) Arduina Uno
vii) Voltage Regulator
viii) Choke
7. Hardware Implementation 22
8. Working 23
9. Code 26
10. Conclusion 28
11. References 29

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ABSTRACT:

Power factor correction can be used to significantly reduce costs in electrical

installations with low power factors. Electrical utilities billing practises are mostly
responsible for these reductions. Power factor improvement can lower energy costs,
liberate electrical capacity from the distribution system, increase voltage, and lower
system losses. Shunt capacitor banks are a relatively well-known technique for power
factor correction (PFC).

However, using capacitors comes with several risks and challenges. Many designers
have a tendency to centre their calculations on maximising the revenue from such
installation by minimising insulating cost and maximising the energy savings when
designing and positioning capacitors for PFC. The potential negative effects brought on
by interactions between PFC and some power system components often receive less
attention. Harmonic amplification, which can happen when there is a resonance in the
power system close to the frequency of a nearby harmonic source, is one of the most
frequent and potentially dangerous phenomena.

This project work focuses on Power Factor Correction that can be used be used to
protect from significant damage and disruption to the power system.
The scope of this includes background of power factor and different loads, various
components and their uses and how we used them to construct our model.

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INTRODUCTION:

The current technological revolution has led to, and will continue to lead to, an increase

in the complexity of the power system. As a result, it becomes necessary to transmit

each unit of generated power over a growing range of distances with the least amount

of power loss. However, the losses have also multiplied with the rise in inductive loads,

large load variations, etc. Therefore, it is wise to identify the root causes of power

outages and upgrade the power infrastructure. As inductive loads are used more

frequently, the load power factor decreases noticeably, increasing system losses and

decreasing the efficiency of the power system.

By precisely measuring the time difference between the arrival of the current signal and

the voltage signal from the source, an automatic power factor correction device can

read power factor from line voltage and line current. The power factor (cos phi)

corresponding to the phase angle lag between the voltage and current signals is then

calculated. The microcontroller then determines the necessary compensation and turns

on the necessary number of capacitors from the capacitor bank, maintaining this

process until the power factor is roughly normalized to unity.

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Industrial facilities, power systems, and even homes can use automatic power factor

correction techniques to become more stable. As a result, the system stabilizes and

both the system's and the apparatus's efficiency rise. As a result, both the costs of

purchasing and supplying electrical energy are decreased when power factor correctors

based on microcontrollers are used.

Utilizing capacitive elements for power factor correction lowers the amount of reactive

power needed, minimizing losses while also improving the effectiveness of the

electrical system. Single phase capacitor banks have been developed for domestic and

industrial applications as a result of power conservation concerns and reactive power

management. The goal of this project is to create a microprocessor-based control

system that will improve and modernize the operation of single phase capacitor banks.

Based on the fluctuating load current, the control unit will be able to regulate the

capacitor bank's operating steps. Current Sensor is used to measure the load current for

sampling purposes. Utilizing this microprocessor control unit intelligently ensures

uniform capacitor step utilization, reduces switching operations, and improves power

factor. Auto-correcting power factor. An inductive load will be used with the choke found

in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

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BACKGROUND:

Power Factor:

Power factor is a term used to describe how energy flows through electrical systems.

Understanding the three types of power that are present in electrical systems is useful

for comprehending power factor. Real power is the kind of energy that is actually used

to produce heat, light, and motion. The electric billing meter totalizes real power in

kilowatt-hours (kWh), which are units of measurement for real power (measured in kW).

The useful work that directly rotates a motor's shaft is an illustration of real power.

Equipment that uses inductive or capacitive technology must have reactive power to

maintain the electromagnetic field. The non-working power element is what it is.

Kilovolt-ampere-reactive (kVAR) is the unit of measurement for reactive power. The

billing statement for the customer does not include reactive power. Real power and

reactive power are combined to create total power, also known as apparent power.

Kilovolt-amperes (kVA) are used to measure total power, and kilovolt-ampere-hours

(kVAh) is the unit of measurement used by the electric billing meter. Real power to total

power is referred to as the power factor (PF), which is measured as a percentage (%).

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The relationship between the active component, IR, and the total amount of current, I, is

known as the power factor cos(phi); phi is the phase angle between the voltage and the

current.

Power Factor Correction:

Power factor correction involves connecting capacitors to the supply in order to

generate a leading current in order to make up for the lagging current. It is possible to

connect a capacitance large enough to adjust the power factor to as close to unity as

possible. A system known as power factor correction (PFC) is used to mitigate the

negative effects of electric loads that produce a power factor of less than one (1). A

power transmission utility may implement power factor correction to increase the

reliability and effectiveness of the transmission network, or an individual electrical

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customer may install correction to lower the fees assessed by their electricity service

provider.

An alternating current electrical load needs apparent power, which is made up of real

power and reactive power. Real power is the power actually consumed by the load.

When alternating current flows through a load that contains a reactive component,

reactive power is continuously demanded by the load and sent back to the power

source. The electric load has a power factor of less than one because reactive power

makes the real power less than the apparent power.

The current flowing between the power source and the load is increased by reactive

power, which also increases power losses through transmission and distribution lines.

Power companies suffer operational and financial losses as a result. In order to avoid

additional fees, power companies mandate that their customers, particularly those with

large loads, keep their power factors above a certain level, preferably around or above

0.90. The power factor of loads is of interest to electrical engineers who work in the

production, transmission, distribution, and consumption of electrical power because

power factors have an impact on costs and operational efficiencies for both the

producers and users of electrical power. The use of wiring, switches, circuit breakers,

transformers, and transmission lines with higher current capacities may be necessary in

addition to the increased operating costs when reactive power is used.

Through a variety of techniques, power factor correction tries to bring the power factor

of an AC load or an AC power transmission system to unity (1). Simple techniques

include turning on or off banks of capacitors or inductors, which work to counteract,

respectively, the capacitive and inductive effects of the load. example, the inductive

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effect of motor loads Automatic power factor corrector may be offset by locally

connected capacitors. An unloaded synchronous motor connected across the supply

can also be used to correct power factor. By adjusting the field excitation, the motor's

power factor can be changed, causing it to act excited. When non-linear loads are

overloaded, harmonic currents are produced in addition to the primary AC current.

Power Factor and Electrical Loads:

Consisting primarily of resistors, inductors, and capacitors, electrical systems are

composed of these three elements. An electromagnetic field is necessary for the

operation of inductive equipment. Inductive loads must therefore have access to both

real and reactive power in order to function. According to our power factor ratio, the

power factor of inductive loads is considered lagging, or less than 100%.

Many pieces of electrical machinery in commercial and industrial buildings function as

resistors or inductors. Incandescent lighting, baseboard heaters, and cooking ovens are

examples of resistive loads. Fluorescent lights, AC induction motors, arc welders, and

transformers are examples of inductive loads.

Typical average power factor values for some inductive loads:

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10
OBJECTIVE:

The Objective of the project is to automatically detect change in the power factor of the

circuit. Since most of practical circuits are lagging in nature, capacitor are used

whenever system detects change in power angle and accordingly,it connects capacitors

to improve the power factor.

The circuit for Automatic Power Factor detection and correction operates on the

principal of constantly monitoring the power factor of the system and to initiate the

required correction in case the power factor is less than the set value of power factor.

The current and voltage signals are sampled by employing instrument transformers

connected in the circuit. The instrument transformers give stepped down values of

current and voltage, whose magnitude is directly proportional to the circuit current and

voltage. The sampled analog signals are converted to suitable digital signals by the zero

crossing detectors, which changes state at each zero crossing of the current and

voltage signals. The ZCD signals are then added in order to obtain pulses which

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represent the time difference between the zero crossing of the current and voltage

signals.

The time period of these signals is measured by the internal timer circuit of the Arduino

by using the function pulseIn(), which gives the time period in micro seconds. The time

period obtained is used to calculate the power factor of the circuit. Now if the calculated

power factor is less than the minimum power factor limit set at about 0.96-0.98, then

the microcontroller switches on the capacitor.

The circuit is PIC microcontroller based. The current and voltage signal are acquired

from the main AC line by using Current Transformer and Potential Transformer. These

acquired signals are then pass on the zero crossing detectors. Bridge rectifier for both

current and voltage signals transposes the analog signals 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 behavior of the enduring load on the basis of current depleted by the load.

In case of low power factor Microcontroller send out the signal to switching unit 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 LCD.

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POWER FACTOR IN RESISTOR, INDUCTANCE AND

CAPACITANCE CIRCUIT:

Voltage and current waveforms change polarity at the same time during each cycle

in a circuit that is entirely resistive. The energy storage in reactive loads, such as

capacitors and inductors, causes a delay between the voltage and current

waveforms where they are present. When the load is applied, the stored energy

returns to the source and cannot be used for work. A circuit with a low power factor

will require more current than a circuit with a high power factor to transfer a given

quality of real power. To obtain the current readings for the pure resistive, capacitive,

and inductive loads shown in the diagram below using an oscilloscope, The current

value was measured across a negligible resistor that was added to the circuit. This

assumption was made using Ohm's law: V = IR but R‘s value is negligible, therefore V

= I. Using this presumption, the waveform for the current was obtained.

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COMPONENTS USED:

1. POTENTIAL TRANSFORMER :

A potential transformer, a voltage transformer or a laminated core transformer is

the most common type of transformer widely used in electrical power
transmission and appliances to convert mains voltage to low voltage in order to
power low power electronic devices.

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2. CURRENT SENSOR:

A current sensor is a device that recognizes electrical current in a wire or a

system whether it is high or low and creates an indicator relative to it.

3. CAPACITOR :

A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field by virtue of

accumulating electric charges on two close surfaces insulated from each other.
It is a passive electronic component with two terminals.

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4. 2 MODULE RELAY:

2 Relay Module is an electronic device consists of two relays as its major

components. Relay is a switch which makes or loses the connection between
two different circuits. A single relay is capable of controlling two AC/DC devices
simultaneously. So, 2 relay module is able to control four AC/DC devices at the
same time.

5. LCD (LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY):

LCD panel consist of two patterned glass panels in which crystal is filled under
vacuumIt is a transparent material but after applying voltage it becomes opaque.
This property is the fundamental operating principle of LCDs.

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6. ARDUINO UNO:

The Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328. It has 14

digital input/output pins. It contains everything needed to support the
microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a USB cable or power it with
a AC-to-DC adapter or battery to get started.

7. VOLTAGE REGULATOR :

Like most other regulators in the market, it is a three-pin IC; input pin for
accepting incoming DC voltage, ground pin for establishing ground for the
regulator, and output pin that supplies the positive 5 volts.If differences between
the input and output voltages are not well managed, LM7805 can overheat, which
may result in malfunctioning

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8. CHOKE:

The choke's impedance increases with frequency. Its low electrical resistance
passes both AC and DC with little power loss, but its reactance limits the amount
of AC passed. The name comes from blocking—"choking"—high frequencies
while passing low frequencies.

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HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION:

The connections have been made as per the diagram and then all the components was

soldered properly at their respective places. Microcontoller ardunio was programmed

by using a C language. Based on the measured values using formula P F of load is

calculated. The liquid crystal display is used to display the improved P.F.

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WORKING:

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The input supply i.e., 230V, 50 Hz AC is applied across the primary of a stepdown

transformer 12-0-12, i.e. the output is 12V . The output is taken across the secondary

coil and is applied to a rectifier section. The rectifier section is Bridge Rectifier, formed

by arranging four IN4001 diodes in a bridge pattern. The output of the bridge circuit is

not pure d.c; an a.c component is also present in the form of a ripple and in order to

reduce this ripple, an electrolytic capacitor (1000̊F) is connected at the output of the

diode bridge.The voltage regulator 7805 here is used to obtain the fixed voltage as per

requirement and supplies a constant voltage regardless of changes in load currents.It

provides a regulated supply of 5V which is used to drive Arduino processing

module.These signals are supplied to Arduino through sensor circuits and zero cross

detectors (ZCDs) for detecting current and the voltage, as well as the phase difference,

in order to compute the power factor and an active power of the connecting the load.

The voltage or current waveform has a sinusoidal waveform with a wave cycle of 360

degrees which when converted into time seconds it is 20 milliseconds (Frequency =

50Hz, T=1/F = 1/50). When the load is applied the current waveforms changes its every

zero-crossing position depending on the characteristics of the load. Irrespective of load

the time period is similar but the every zero crossing of the current waveform changes

whereas the voltage waveform remains in the same position. So the voltage is used as

the reference waveform to determine the time variation or time at which current

waveform starts. The difference in the every zero crossing of the voltage and current

waveforms gives us the phase angle difference which is used to calculate the power

factor as the value of the power factor is the cosine of the Phase angle difference

between voltage and current.

The power for the Arduino and other components is supplied by a 5V DC supply. The

two Op-Amps converts the sinusoidal signal into square signal. The square waves from

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the output of the Op-Amps is fed to the Exclusive OR(X-OR) gate. The output of XOR

gate is phase angle difference which is given to Arduino. The cosine of the phase angle

difference gives the power factor value. If the power factor is less than 0.9 then the

capacitor is switched on .

In the event of a lagging power factor, the Arduino sends a control signal to the circuit,

which energizes the capacitor bank parallel to the load. This procedure is repeated until

the necessary adjustment of the power factor is achieved, i.e. the power factor value

after and before the repair for attached the load is displayed on LCD with a pause.

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CODE:

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);

int input=13;
int output=7;
int led=6;

float rads = 57.29577951;

float degree = 360;
float frequency = 50;
float micro = 1 * pow (10,-6);

float angle;
float powerfactor;

void setup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(input,INPUT);
pinMode(output,OUTPUT);
pinMode(led,OUTPUT);
lcd.begin(16, 2);
lcd.setCursor(0,0);
lcd.print("Automatic Power");
lcd.setCursor(0,1);
lcd.println(" Factor Correct ");
delay(500);
Serial.begin(9600);}

void loop(){
angle = ((((pulseIn(input, HIGH)) * micro)* degree)* frequency);
powerfactor = cos(angle / rads);

Serial.println(angle);

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Serial.println(powerfactor);

if (powerfactor < 1)
{
digitalWrite(output,HIGH);
digitalWrite(led,HIGH);
Serial.println(powerfactor);
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0,0);
lcd.print(" Inductive Load ");
lcd.setCursor(4,1);
lcd.println("PF = ");
lcd.setCursor(9,1);
lcd.println(powerfactor);
delay(500);
}

else
{
digitalWrite(output,LOW);
digitalWrite(led,LOW);
Serial.println(powerfactor);
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0,0);
lcd.print(" Resistive Load ");
lcd.setCursor(4,1);
lcd.println("PF = ");
lcd.setCursor(9,1);
lcd.println(powerfactor);
delay(500);
}
}

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CONCLUSION:

Automatic Power Factor Detection and Correction is a method for improving the power

factor of a power system in a cost-effective manner. In manufacturing and distribution

lines, static capacitors are always employed to enhance the power factor. This method

utilises capacitors only when the power factor is low; otherwise, they are disconnected

from the line. Therefore, not only does it improve the power factor, but it also extends

the lifespan of static capacitors. A modest, low-cost rating capacitor can also be used

to increase the power factor of any distribution line. From the load side, this system's

static capacitor can improve the power factor of any distribution line. As a result, if this

static capacitor is applied to a high-voltage transmission line, its rating will be

unreasonably high, rendering it uneconomical and inefficient. Therefore, a variable

speed synchronous condenser can be utilised in any high voltage transmission line to

improve power factor, and the speed of the synchronous condenser can be regulated by

a microprocessor.

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REFERENCES:

● P. N. Enjeti and R Martinez, ―A high performance single phase rectifier with input
power factor correction,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Electron.vol.11, No. 2, Mar.2003.pp
311-317
● J.G. Cho, J.W. Won, H.S. Lee, ―Reduced conduction loss zero-voltage-transition
power factor correction converter with low cost,‖ IEEE Trans. Industrial Electron.
vol.45, no 3, Jun. 2000, pp395-400
● V.K Mehta and Rohit Mehta, ―Principles of power system‖, S. Chand & Company
Ltd, Ramnagar, New delhi-110055, 4th Edition, Chapter 6.
● Dr. Kurt Schipman and Dr. Francois Delince, ―The importance of good power
quality‖, ABB power quality Belgium.
● Robert. F. Coughlin, Frederick. F. Driscoll, ―Operational amplifiers and linear
integrated circuits‖, 6thEdition, chapter 4.
● International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT) Volume
3, Issue 4, October 2013 272 Power Factor Correction Using PIC Microcontroller
● www.arduino.cc
● Design and Implementation of Microcontroller-Based Controlling of Power
Factor Using Capacitor Banks with Load Monitoring, Global Journal of
Researches in Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Volume 13,
Issue 2, Version 1.0 Year 2013 Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International

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 Research Journal Publisher: Global Journals Inc. (USA) Online ISSN: 2249-4596 &
Print ISSN: 0975-5861
● Electric power industry reconstructing in India, Present scenario and future
prospects, S.N. Singh, senior member, IEEE and S.C. Srivastava, Senior
Member,IEEE.
● Power Factor Correction Solutions & Applications,Rick Orman,Americas Sales
Manager, Eaton Corporation 2012.

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