Automatic Power factor Compensation Using Microcontroller

Abstract

In the present technological and industrial revolution, electrical power is more essential and very precious. So we need to find out the causes of power loss and improve the efficiency of the power system by reducing it. Due to industrialization the use of inductive load has increased and hence power systems had loosed its efficiency. So we need to improve the power factor with a suitable method. Automatic power factor correction device reads the power factor from line voltage and line current by determining the delay in the arrival of the current signal with respect to voltage signal from the AC mains with high accuracy by using an internal timer. This time values are then calibrated as phase angle and corresponding power factor. Then the microcontroller calculates the compensation requirement and accordingly switches on different capacitor banks. Automatic power factor correction techniques can be applied to the IT industries, power systems and also house-holds to make them stable and due to that the system becomes stable and increases the efficiency of the system.