POWER 

FACTOR 
IMPROVEMENT
Ritesh Patel  

Department of Electrical Engineering 
G. H. Patel College of Engineering and 
Technology – V V Nagar (Gujarat)
Email : [email protected]

Definition
• The cosine of angle between voltage and current in an a.c.
circuit is known as power factor.
• In an a.c. circuit,, there is ggenerallyy a pphase difference φ
between voltage and current. The term cos φ is called the
power factor of the circuit.
• If the circuit is inductive, the current lags behind the voltage
and the power factor is referred to as lagging. However, in a
capacitive circuit, current leads the voltage and power factor
g
is said to be leading.
• The reactive power is neither consumed in the circuit nor it
does any useful work. It merely flows back and forth in both
directions in the circuit. A wattmeter does not measure
reactive power.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Power Factor
• Consider an inductive circuit taking a lagging
current I from supply voltage V; the angle of
lag being φ.
φ
• The circuit current I can be resolved into two
perpendicular components, namely ;
(a) I cos φ in phase with V
(b) I sin φ 90o out of phase with V

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Power Triangle

2
Dis. Adv. of low power factor
1. Large KVA rating of equipment: The electrical
machinery (e.g, alternators, transformers, switchgear)
is always rated in KVA.
KVA=KW/cos
/ φ
It is clear that KVA rating of the equipment is
inversely proportional to Power factor, the larger is the
KVA rating. Therefore, at low power factor KVA rating of
the equipment has to be made more, making the
equipment larger and more expensive.
expensive
2. Greater Conductor Size‐ To transmit or distribute a
fixed amount of power at constant voltage, the conductor
will have to carry more current at low power factor. This
necessitates large conductor size.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Dis. Adv. of low power factor
3. Large Copper Losses‐ The large current at low power factor
causes more I2R losses in all the elements of supply system.
This results in poor efficiency.
4 Poor
4. P V lt
Voltage R l ti
Regulation‐ Th large
The l currentt att low
l l i
lagging
power factor causes greater voltage drops in alternators,
transformers, transmission lines and distributors. This results
in decreased voltage available at the supply end, thus
impairing the performance of utilization device. In order to
keep the receiving end voltage within permissible limits, extra
equipment (voltage regulators is required).
5. Reduce handling capacity of system‐ The lagging power
factor reduces the handling capacity of all the elements of the
system. It is because; the reactive component of current
prevents the full utilization of installed capacity.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Causes of low power factor
•Most of the ac. Motors are of induction type which have
low lagging power factor. These motors work at a power
factor which is extremely small on light load (0.2 to 0.3)
andd rises to 0.8 or 0.9 at full
f ll load.
l d
•Arc lamps, electric discharge lamps and industrial
heating furnaces operate at low lagging power factor.
•The load on the power system is varying; being high
during morning and evening and low at other times.
During low load period,
period supply voltage is increased which
increases the magnetization current. This results in the
decreased power factor.
‰The synchronous motor, rotary converter and other
commutator motors may work at leading power factor.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Advantage of PF Improvement
1. Load current: ‐ From the relation, P=VICOSф we can say that the load
current decreases with the improvement in power factor.
2. Voltage:‐There is an increase in voltage level across the load.
3. Energy losses:‐Due to the reduction in the load current there is a
decrease in copper losses in the transformer, generators, transmission
lines, and distributor.
4. KVA loading:‐There is reduction in KVA loading of generator and
transformer which may relieve on overload system or release capacity
for additional growth of load.
5. Prime mover:‐The capacity of the prime mover is better utilized.
6. Alternators: ‐ KVA The capacity of alternators increases as it develops
less reactive KVA with improved power factor.
7. Transformers:‐With the improvement in power factor the KW
capacity of the transformer can be better utilized.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Advantage of PF Improvement
8. Transmission lines:‐Due to power factor improvement the load
current decreases so the transmission loss is lowered and transmission
drop is also decreased. So the regulation of the line is improved.
9 For
9. F consumers:‐If If the
th consumer improves
i th power factor,
the f t then
th
there is a reduction in his maximum KVA demand and consequently
there will be annual saving due to maximum demand charges.
10. For Generating Station:‐A generating station is as much concerned
with power factor improvement as the consumer. The generators in the
power station are rated in KVA but the useful output depends upon KW
output As station output is KW=KVA *Cos
output. Cos φ,
φ therefore,
therefore number of units
supplied by it depends upon the power factor. The greater the power
factor of the generating station, the higher is the KWh it delivers to the
system. This leads to the conclusion that improved power factor
increases the earning capacity of the power station.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Effect of PF Improvement
1. Effect on transmission lines:‐ For the same power to be
transmitted over the line, it will have to carry more current at
low p.f’s. As the line is to carry more current, its cross‐
sectional
i l area will
ill have
h to be
b increased
i d which
hi h increases
i the
h
capital cost of the lines. Also increased current increases the
line loss, or the efficiency of the line is lowered, and the line
drop is also.
2. Effect on transformers:‐ For decreased p.f, the kW
capacity of the transformer is decreased and the volt in it is
increased.
3. Effect on switch gear and bus‐bars:‐ The cross‐sectional
area on the bus‐bar and the contact surface of the switch
gears must be enlarged for the same power to be delivered at
low power factors.

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Effect of PF Improvement
4. Effect on generators:‐ With the low power factors, the kVA
as well as kW capacity are lowered. The power supplied by
the exciter is increased,
increased as well as the generation losses are
increased, so their effect is decreased.
5. Effect on Prime‐Movers:‐ When the power factor is
decreased the alternator develops more reactive kVA or the
wattles power generated is more, but a certain energy is
required
q to developp in which it is supplied
pp byy the pprime
mover. That is, the part of the prime mover capacity is idle
and represents dead investment. Working at low power
factor also decreases the efficiency of prime mover.

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Methods of PF Improvement

The following equipments are used to improve power factor:
1. Static capacitors.
2. Synchronous condenser.
3. Phase advancers.  Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Static Capacitors

• The
Th power factor
f t can be
b improved
i d by
b connecting
ti capacitors
it i
in
parallel with the equipment operating at lagging power factor.
• As the capacitor draws a leading current it partly or
completely neutralizes the lagging reactive component of load
current. For three‐phase loads, the capacitors can be connected
in delta or star.

Static Capacitors
• Power factor can also be improved by connecting static
capacitors in series with the line. Capacitors connected in
series with the line neutralize the line reactance.
• The capacitors, when connected in series with the line, are
called the series capacitors, and when connected in parallel
with the equipment, are called the shunt capacitors.

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Static Capacitors
Advantages :
1. They have low losses(less than ½ per cent).
2. They require little maintenance as there are no rotating
parts.
3. They can be easily installed as they are light and require no
foundation.
4. They can work under ordinary atmospheric conditions.
5. High efficiency.
Disadvantages :
1. They have short service life ranging from 8 to 10 years.
2. They are easily damaged if the voltage exceeds the rated
value.
3. Once the capacitors are damaged, their repair is
uneconomical.

Synchronous condenser

An over‐excited synchronous motor running on no load is

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Synchronous condenser
• A synchronous motor takes a leading current when over‐
excited and, therefore, behaves as a capacitor.
• When such a machine is connected in parallel with the
supply, it takes a leading current which partly neutralizes the
lagging reactive component of the load thus improving the
power factor.
• The 3‐ load takes current IL at low lagging power factor cos
φL. The synchronous condenser takes a current Im which leads
the voltage by an angle φm.
•The resultant current I is the vector is the sum of Im and IL
and lags behind the voltage by an angle φ. As φ is less than φL
so cos φ is greater than cos φL. Thus the power factor is
improved from cos φ L to cos φ.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Synchronous condenser
Advantages
1. By varying the field excitation, the magnitude of current drawn
by the motor can be changed by any amount. This helps in
achieving step less control of power factor.
factor
2. The motor windings have high thermal stability to short circuit
currents.
3. The faults can be removed easily.
Disadvantages
1. There are considerable losses in the motor.
2. The maintenance cost is high.
3. It produces noise.
4. Except in size above 500 kVA, the cost is greater than that of
static capacitors of the same rating.
5. As a synchronous motor has no self‐starting torque, therefore,
an auxiliary equipment has to be provided for this purpose.

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Phase Advancers
•Phase advancers are used to improve the power factor of
induction motors.
•The low power factor of an induction motor is due to the fact
that its stator winding draws exciting current which lags
behind the supply voltage by 90o. If the exciting ampere turns
can provided from some other a.c. source, then the stator
winding will be relieved of exciting current and the power
factor of the motor can be improved. This job is accomplished
by the phase advancer which is simply an a.c.
a c exciter.
exciter
•The phase advancer is mounted on the same shaft as the
main. It provides exciting ampere turns to the rotor circuit at
slip frequency. By providing more ampere turns than
required, the induction motor can be made to operate on
leading power factor like an over‐excited synchronous motor.

Phase Advancers
Advantages
1. As the exciting ampere turns are supplied at slip
frequency, therefore lagging kVAR drawn by the motor
are considerably reduced.
2. Phase advancers can be conveniently used where the use
of synchronous motors is unadmissible.
Disadvantages
They are not economical for motors below 200 H.P.

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Other Equipments
Other equipments:‐
By use of Synchronous‐Induction Motors: The are special
types of motors which operate at certain loads as
synchronous motors and at other loads as induction motors.
By use of High Power Factor Motors: Besides synchronous
motors or synchronous‐induction motors there are other
several types of motors which operate at a power factor of
approximately unity such as compensated induction motors,
and schrage motors.
motors These motors are more expensive and
have higher maintenance cost than ordinary induction
motors.

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Calculation of PF Correction

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Power Triangle

Numericals
V K Mehta : 6.5, 6.7, 6.8, 6.11
Sivanagaraju : 10.7

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Most Economical PF
The value to which the power factor should be
improved so as to have maximum net annual saving
is known
k as the
h most economical
i l power factor.
f

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Most Economical PF
•Consider a consumer taking a peak load of P kW at a
power factor cos φ1 and charged at rate of Rs. X per KVA of
maximum demand per annum.
annum
•Suppose a consumer improves the power factor to cos φ2
by installing power factor correction equipment.
•Let the expenditure incurred on the power factor
correction equipment be Rs.y per kVAR per annum.
•The ppower triangle
g at the original
g power factor cos φ1 is
p
OAB and for the improved power factor cos φ2 it is OAC .

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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Most Economical PF

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Most Economical PF

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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 Most Economical PF

It may be noted that the most economical power factor (cos φ2)
depends upon the relative costs of supply and p.f. correction equipment
but is independent of the original p.f. cos φ1.
Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

Numericals
V K Mehta : 6.13, 6.16
Sivanagaraju: 10.14

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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QUESTIONS ???

Ritesh Patel EE Dept. GCET 

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