EE2090:Laboratory Practice 111

Laboratory Experiment 07

USE OF SERIES AND SHUNT CAPACITORS

IN TRANSMISSION LINES

INSTRUCTED BY : Ms.V.Vijayarajah
GROUP MEMBERS : D.M.S.Disanayake NAME : M.H.M.Fernando
C.L.Fernando INDEX NO : 090134U
M.H.M.Fernando COURSE : BSc. Engineering
L.H.C.Gomeda FIELD : Electrical Engineering
A.R.Devinda GROUP : 04
DATE OF PERFORMANCE : 27/09/2010
DATE OF SUBMISSION : 12/11/2010
Calculations:
Series Capacitive Reactance
Per Unit Compensation of the Line =
Inductive Reactance

Series Capacitive Reactance (XC)= 1/ jωC

Inductive Reactance (XL) = jωL

1 ( jωC ) 1 ( j 2πfC )
Per Unit Compensation of the Line(XC/XL)= =
jωL j 2πfL

Sample Calculation

C = 12 µF
L = 0.15 H
f = 50 Hz
1
Series Capacitive Reactance = j × 2π ×50 ×12 ×10 −6 = − j 265 .26 Ω

Inductive Reactance = j ×2π ×50 ×0.15 = j 47 .12 Ω

265 .26
Per Unit Compensation of the Line = = 5.63
47 .12
Capacitance ( Series Capacitive Per Unit Compensation
Power Received (W)
µF ) Reactance(Ω ) of the Line
0 0 - 40

6 -j530.52 11.26 6

12 -j265.26 5.63 18

18 -j176.84 3.72 35

24 -j132.63 2.81 37
30 -j106.1 2.25 38
Shunt Capacitance Power Received
( µF ) (W)
6 65
12 80
18 95
24 100
30 105

Discussion:
 Effect of Power Factor on the Power Systems
The ratio between the real power and the apearent power is defined as the power
factor of an AC electric power system. The real power is the capacity of the circuit for
performing work in a particular time. The apearent power is the product of the voltage and the
current in the circuit. Also the low power facter causes for the loss of the system and it will
increase the cost for energy.
Energy losses in transmission lines increase with increasing current. Where a load
has a power factor lower than 1, more current is required to deliver the same amount of useful
energy. Power companies therefore require that industrial and commercial customers maintain
the power factors of their respective loads within specified limits or be subject to additional
charges.
Electric utilities must maintain a high Power Factor on their distribution system for
efficiency. They will typically bill customers for a low Power Factor or they may bill on kVA
demand, which Power Factor will affect. Most utilities that bill a Power Factor penalty require a
user to maintain a 95% Power Factor to avoid penalty.

What are the Benefits of Improving Power Factor?

Depending on our utility you may be able to save money on your energy costs. Many
utilities have power factor incorporated in some form in their rates. They may bill your demand in
KVA or have credits and debits depending on your power factor. The utility has to provide
distribution facilities, transformers, etc based on our Total Apparent power.. With our power bill we
could be paying for a lot of “foam” if our power factor is not high.

We can improve your facility’s power system capacity if we locate capacitors at or

close to loads needing correction. Benefits are incurred up stream. These benefits include reduction
in I2R losses, improved voltage regulation when properly switched & a decrease in KVA loading.

Improving the Power Factor

01)Using shunt capacitors
Inductive components of a power system draw a leading reactive power from the
supply. It lags by 90 degrees to the active power. As well as the capacitive component of the
power system leads by 90 degrees to the active power. The directions of the above two
components are in opposite to each other.
When the current lags the voltage because of having a lot of electric induction
motors, it will cause for a lagging reactive power. To reduce this effect, we should consume
either leading reactive power at the receiving end or supply lagging reactive power from the
system. The leading reactive power can be achieved by adding shunt capacitors to the receiving
end. Some industrial sites, this would consist of a capacitor bank in the form of several parallel
capacitors at the power input to the device.

02)Using Synchronous Motor

An unloaded synchronous motor can be used to improve the power factor. It is started and
connect to the electrical network. It operates at full leading power factor and puts apearent power
onto the network as required to support a system’s voltage or to maintain the system power
factor at a specified level. The condenser’s installation and operation are identical to large
electric motors. Its principal advantage is the ease with which the amount of correction can be
adjusted; it behaves like an electrically variable capacitor.

03)Using Filters

If there are harmonics in the waveform caused by switched mode power supplies, the
capacitors are not connected directly to the supply lines. The simplest way to control the
harmonic current is to use a filter. It is possible to design a filter that passes current only at line
frequency (e.g. 50 or 60 Hz). This filter removes the harmonic current, which means that the
non-linear device now looks like a linear load. At this point the power factor can be brought to
near unity, using capacitors or inductors as required. This filter requires large-value high-current
inductors, however, which are bulky and expensive.