Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Inventive Communication and Computational Technologies (ICICCT 2018)

IEEE Xplore Compliant - Part Number: CFP18BAC-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1974-2

Automatic optimization and control of power factor,

reactive power and reduction of THD for linear and
nonlinear load by using arduino uno.
Saurabh B. Jarad1. Vishal D. Lohar2. Shubham P. Choukate3. Mr. Shrikant D. Mangate4.
123
Students, 4Asst.Prof. At SVPM’s COE, Malegaon (BK)
Department of Electrical Engineering, Savitribai Phule Pune University.
SVPM’s COE, Malegaon (bk),
Baramati, India
[email protected],[email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract— Aim of this paper is to discuss about power quality of transmission of active power [1]. Digital PFC converters are
the AC system, which has become a great concern due to the more desirable because digital controllers have many
rapidly increased use of inductive loads, electronic equipment advantages over the analog controllers due to its
(Linear and Non linear load). We are wasting a part of the programmability, flexibility, no temperature as well as aging
electrical energy everyday due to the lagging power factor in the effect, and more resistance to the input voltage distortion.
inductive loads which is used in the system. Hence, there is an
Power factor correction using capacitor banks reduces reactive
urgent need to avoid this wastage of energy, lower power factor
and reactive power results in poor reliability, safety problems power consumption which will lead to minimization of losses,
and high energy cost. The power factor of power system is at the same time increases the electrical system's efficiency.
continuously changing due to differences in the size and number Power saving issues and reactive power management has led
of the equipment being used at a time. This makes it challenging to the development of single phase capacitor banks for
to balance the inductive and capacitive loads continuously. Many domestic and industrial applications [2]. Due to using non
control methods for the Power Factor Correction (PFC) were linear load like SMPS it will produces 4-5% voltage THD and
proposed. This paper presents a computationally accurate 20-21% current THD [3]. Therefore we design shunt active
technique to design and development of a single phase as well as filter for removing THD. Series active have many advantages
three phase power factor correction, reactive power and THD
such as increases system power factor and it reduces
compensation using Arduino Uno micro-controlling chip. The
hardware implementation is developed by using Arduino Uno resonance condition [4]. The development of the project in
board. this paper is to enhance and upgrade the operation of single
phase capacitor banks by developing a microprocessor based
control system. The output of this device which obtains from
Keywords— APFC, Arduino uno, SMPS, Power Quality the simulation result and hardware implementation will be
analyzer,THD etc. analyzed to see the effect of controlling and correcting
activity. Power factor correction (PFC) is a technique of
I. INTRODUCTION counteracting the undesirable effects of electric loads that
In the present scenario of technological revolution create a power factor that is less than one.
and all over Observations, it can be said that the power is very
precious and becoming more and more complex with passing II. WORKING AND PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
days. The increase in usage of inductive loads in industry will
give impact to the power factor value of the system and thus
due to this the efficiency of the power system decreases. Automatic PFC and reactive power compensation system is
Nonlinear loads will lead to a poor power factor, total based on the AVR microcontroller ATmega 328. The voltage
harmonic distortion (%THD) which can disrupts the AC and current in the circuit are stepped down using a potential
voltage and give poor performance to other equipment transformer and a current transformer respectively. These
connected to the same source. The main objective of this paper transformed a.c signals are next fed to a Zero Crossing
is an improvement of the existing AC power factor and power Detector (ZCD) circuit. The output of the Zero Crossing
quality output by adding capacitance and Series or shunt Detector (ZCD) is a square wave, in which each change of
active filter. The ideal power factor controller should produce state represents a zero crossing of the a.c waveform. The
unity power factor output. This paper mainly aims the signal goes high on the first zero crossing of the current or
attention on the arrangement and development of power factor voltage waveform and then goes low on the next zero crossing
correction using Arduino Uno in whichATmega328 as of the signal, thereby generating a square wave. Two separate
Microcontroller. The power factor controller method and Zero Crossing Detector (ZCD) circuits are used for voltage
device is useful in the improvement of the efficient and current waveform. The two square waves are then
summed using an Exclusive OR (X-OR) gate [1].The output

978-1-5386-1974-2/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE 1128

 Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Inventive Communication and Computational Technologies (ICICCT 2018)
IEEE Xplore Compliant - Part Number: CFP18BAC-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1974-2

of the summer gives the phase angle difference which is given

to the Arduino microcontroller on one of its digital I/O pins
(pin 3). The value on the pin is read using the function pulseIn Active Filter Design
(pin, value, timeout), where the parameters pin depicts the
number of the pin on which you want to read the pulse. (int),
value depicts the type of pulse to read i.e., either HIGH or
LOW. (int) and timeout (optional) depicts the number of
microseconds to wait for the pulse to start, default is one
second (unsigned long). The function reads a pulse (either
HIGH or LOW) on a pin.
This time value obtained is in microseconds. It is converted
in milliseconds (ms) and is then calibrated as phase angle “φ”
using the relation:

φ = (t/T)*360
Fig.1 Active power filter
Where:
φ = difference in phase angle
THD of a signal is a measurement of the harmonic distortion
t = time difference in milliseconds (ms);
present in current or voltage. It is defined as the ratio of the
T = the time period of one AC cycle (i.e., 20ms)
sum of the powers of all harmonic components to the power of
the fundamental frequency. Harmonic distortion can have
Power factor= cos*(φ /57.2)
detrimental effects on computer based devices or load; it can
According to that formula Arduino calculate the value of waste energy and lower the capacity of an electrical system.
power factor. The power factor will be leading, lagging or Understanding the problems associated with harmonic
unity as per the type of load. When the load is Resistive, the distortion, it causes and effects, as well as the retched of
power factor is unity. There is no need to switch on capacitor dealing with it, is of great importance in minimizing those
bank. But when the load is inductive, power factor is lagging. effects and increasing the overall efficiency and performance
Arduino is programmed to calculate power factor and of computer (SMPS) [3][4]. Therefore, for reduction of
calculate required capacitance value. In lagging power factor current voltage THD better solution is that to design shunt
required capacitor from capacitor bank is switch on by active filter. Active filter can typically be programmed to
Arduino [5]. This Arduino add the estimated capacitor in main correct for the power factor as well as harmonics [2].
power line and power factor is improved. Calculated value of
power factor and reactive power is displayed on LCD display.
Before correction and after correction values are displayed by IV. BLOCK DIAGRAM
giving specific delay.

For nonlinear load (i.e. Computer system) it produces

more harmonic distortion (%THD) due to SMPS unit is
present in computer system (CPU). THD (current & voltage)
value is measured by Power Quality Analyzer. For reduction
of %THD value filter is design and Active filter is best
suitable for this operation.

III. CAPACITOR BANK AND FILTER DESIGN

We use motor for inductive load, Single phase induction

motor, 230v AC, 50 Hz 0.5Hp or 0.37Kw, 3.7 max Amp,
Pf 0.48.
Design [6][7].
Motor PF1=0.48 Desired PF2=0.97, So Multiplication factor
from Pf table is 1.577, Motor power (P) = 0.37Kw

Capacitor Bank Rating (VAR) = P*M.F.

= 0.37*1.577
583.49 VAR

For Calculation of Capacitance (C) In F

C= VAR/2π*Vrms*Vrms

978-1-5386-1974-2/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE 1129

Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Inventive Communication and Computational Technologies (ICICCT 2018)
IEEE Xplore Compliant - Part Number: CFP18BAC-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1974-2

Fig.2 Block diagram of APFC

V. FLOWCHART

Fig.5 Experimental setup for THD measurement

Fig.6 Waveform of Current and Voltage THD

Fig.3 Algorithm

VI. HARDWARE MODEL

Fig.7 Current and Voltage (%THD)

VII. RESULT AND OUTPUT

Types of Power Power Reactive Reactive

Load Factor Factor Power Power
(Normal) (corrected) (Normal) (Corrected)
Resistive
(R) 0.98 1 54 42
Inductive
(L) 0.53 0.98 321.95 53.33
Inductive
load 0.12 0.97 428 102.35
bank
Fig.4 Experimental setup for APFC (L1)
Induction
Motor 0.57 0.98 325.33 50.45
Table1. Result comparison

978-1-5386-1974-2/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE 1130

 Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Inventive Communication and Computational Technologies (ICICCT 2018)
IEEE Xplore Compliant - Part Number: CFP18BAC-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1974-2

(%THD) produced by nonlinear load i.e. computer system, so

active filter is the better solution to reduce THD.

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978-1-5386-1974-2/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE 1131

 Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Inventive Communication and Computational Technologies (ICICCT 2018)
IEEE Xplore Compliant - Part Number: CFP18BAC-ART; ISBN:978-1-5386-1974-2

electrical, electronics and data communication,

ISSN:2320-20884 (volume-4, Issue-4,April-2016)

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