CAPACITIVE LOAD BANKS FOR POWER FACTOR CORRECTION WITH

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL MODE SETTING

ABSTRACT

This project provides continuous power factor correction using capacitive bank loading.

Power factor is a measure of how effectively you are using electricity. Various types of

power are at work to provide us with electrical energy. Improving the PF can maximize

current-carrying capacity, improve voltage to equipment, reduce power losses, and lower

electric bills. The simplest way to improve power factor is to add PF correction capacitors to

the electrical system. PF correction capacitors act as reactive current generators. They help

offset the non-working power used by inductive loads, thereby improving the power factor.

The interaction between PF capacitors and specialized equipment, such as variable speed

drives, requires a well designed system.

PF correction capacitors can switch on every day when the inductive equipment starts. The

most practical and economical power factor correction device is the capacitor. It improves the

power factor because the effects of capacitance are exactly opposite from those of inductance.

In this project, the capacitors can be connected using manual switches in manual operation

mode. In automatic mode, the capacitors are connected through electromagnetic relay with

predefined time delay to demonstrate the power factor correction practically.

AT89S52 MCU is used to control the switching relays. 16X2 alphanumeric LCD is used to

display the status. This project uses regulated 5V, 750mA power supply. 7805 three terminal

voltage regulator is used for voltage regulation. Bridge type full wave rectifier is used to

rectify the ac output of secondary of 230/12V step down transformer.

 Block Diagram: Capacitive Load Banks for Power Factor Correction with Automatic and
Manual mode setting

AC Input
16X2 Alphanumeric
` LCD
Power
supply PF calculation circuit

Auto
Manual Transistor Buzzer On/off
AT89S52 driver ckt
Switch switch
MCU

On/off
Triac Capacitive
Load bank switch
driver load bank Inductive
selection
1 Load-1
switch

Inductive
Triac Capacitive Load-2
driver load bank
2
AC
Lamp
Load-1

AC
Lamp
Load-2

Step Bridge Filter

down Regulator
Rectifier Circuit
T/F Power supply to all sections