Atuomatic Power improvements using smart capacitor bank
The desire for new energy sources is insatiable, yet we rarely recognize that we waste a portion of the electrical energy we use every day due to the lagging power factor in the inductive loads we use. As a result, there is a pressing need to avoid energy waste. In simple terms, power factor indicat
2025-06-28 16:24:57 - Adil Khan
Atuomatic Power improvements using smart capacitor bank
Project Area of Specialization Electrical/Electronic EngineeringProject SummaryThe desire for new energy sources is insatiable, yet we rarely recognize that we waste a portion of the electrical energy we use every day due to the lagging power factor in the inductive loads we use. As a result, there is a pressing need to avoid energy waste. In simple terms, power factor indicates how much of the energy supplied has been used. The power factor has a maximum value of unity. As a result, the closer the power factor number is to unity, the greater the utility of energy or the less wastage. Power factor is defined as the ratio of active to reactive power or the phase difference between voltage and current in electrical terms. Active power is utilized to do useful work, whereas reactive power is used to produce the magnetic field required by the device. The power factor of the majority of the gadgets we use is less than unity. As a result, it is necessary to get this power factor closer to unity.
Here we are presenting a prototype for automatic power factor correction using microcontroller (Arduino). Capacitor banks used for power factor correction reduce reactive power consumption, resulting in lower losses and higher electrical system efficiency. Single phase capacitor banks for home applications have been developed as a result of power saving and reactive power control concerns. The goal of this project is to design a microprocessor-based control system to improve and upgrade the operation of single phase capacitor banks. The control unit will be able to regulate the individual capacitors in the capacitor bank and will work in steps depending on the power factor variation. To measure the power factor, a current transformer and a voltage transformer are employed to sample the circuit current and voltage. This microprocessor control system's intelligent control assures even capacitor step consumption, reduces the number of switching operations, and improves power factor correction.
Project ObjectivesTo improve power factor which lags due to inductive load we have following project objectives.
- Design comparator circuit using Current and Potential Transformer
- Design microcontroller code which compare voltage and current
- Design a LCD display circuit which display the output
- Design a capacitor which operates according desire
- First of the read and collect data/information about capacitor and microcontroller
- Make a block and circuit diagram regarding to project then implement on the software for analysis of result.
- After the literature view and block diagram, we started working on the design of power factor improvement on the MATLAB/Simulink which is software based.
- Design circuit of power factor improvement on MATLAB and analyze the outputs
- Also design the model on PROTEUS to check its outputs
- Perform mathematical calculations and verify the calculations with software circuit outputs
- After the completion and verification of software work, we moved towards hardware-based.
- Do market analysis and buy equipment.
- Do soldiering according to circuit diagram and finalize the projects.
This automatic power factor controller makes monitoring and improving the power factor of an electrical system simple and reliable.
A system with improved power factor will provide the following advantages:
-
- Reactive power decreases
- Avoid poor voltage regulation
- Overloading is avoided
- Copper loss decreases
- Transmission loss decreases
- Improved voltage control
- Efficiency of supply system and apparatus increases
This kind of automatic power factor controller is cost effective, so can be applied to small systems too.
Technical Details of Final DeliverableOur main purpose to improve the power factor for which fisrt of all we compare the volatge and current throught voltage and current transformer respectively. After this comparesion we use output these to calculate power factor using aurdino. we also coded in aurdino to operate capacitors. That capacitor bank will help to improve power factor.
| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 36650 | |||
| Relay Drive Circuit | Equipment | 2 | 200 | 400 |
| bulbs | Equipment | 2 | 140 | 280 |
| fan | Equipment | 1 | 7000 | 7000 |
| SPST switch | Equipment | 3 | 120 | 360 |
| sockets | Equipment | 1 | 40 | 40 |
| Electric board 4 switch | Equipment | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| wire | Equipment | 1 | 200 | 200 |
| Aurdino | Equipment | 1 | 1800 | 1800 |
| Display 16x2 | Equipment | 1 | 500 | 500 |
| Current Transformer | Equipment | 1 | 400 | 400 |
| Potential Transformer | Equipment | 1 | 200 | 200 |
| Ic 741 | Equipment | 2 | 120 | 240 |
| 74L 86 Ic | Equipment | 1 | 80 | 80 |
| Vero Board | Equipment | 1 | 150 | 150 |
| Resistors | Equipment | 10 | 50 | 500 |
| Capacitor bank | Equipment | 2 | 12000 | 24000 |
| 5V Adapter | Equipment | 1 | 400 | 400 |