Power Factor

By

Engr. HAIDER ABBAS

Welcome!!
 Power Factor
The power factor of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio of the real
power flowing to the load to the apparent power.

It is a number between 0 and 1 (frequently expressed as a percentage, e.g. 0.5 pf = 50%
pf
In an electric power system, a load with low power factor draws more current than a
load with a high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred.
The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, and require
larger wires and other equipment.
Due to the costs of larger equipment and wasted energy, electrical utilities will usually
charge a higher cost to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power
factor.
 Power Factor
Linear loads with low power factor (such as induction motors) can
be corrected with a passive network of capacitors or inductors.
Non-linear loads, such as rectifiers, distort the current drawn from
the system. In such cases, active or passive power factor correction
may be used to counteract the distortion and raise power factor.
The devices for correction of power factor may be at a central
substation, or spread out over a distribution system, or built into
power-consuming equipment.
Instantaneous and average power
calculated from AC voltage and
current with a unity power factor
(φ=0, cosφ=1)
 Power
Factor
In a purely resistive AC circuit, voltage and current waveforms are in step (or in phase),
changing polarity at the same instant in each cycle.
Where reactive loads are present, such as with capacitors or inductors, energy storage in
the loads result in a time difference between the current and voltage waveforms.
During each cycle of the AC voltage, extra energy, in addition to any energy consumed in
the load, is temporarily stored in the load in electric or magnetic fields, and then returned
to the power grid a fraction of a second later in the cycle. The "ebb and flow" of this
nonproductive power increases the current in the line.
Thus, a circuit with a low power factor will use higher currents to transfer a given quantity
of real power than a circuit with a high power factor. A linear load does not change the
shape of the waveform of the current, but may change the relative timing (phase) between
voltage and current.
 Power Factor
Circuits containing purely resistive heating elements (filament lamps, strip
heaters, cooking stoves, etc.) have a power factor of 1.0.
Circuits containing inductive or capacitive elements (electric motors,
solenoid valves, lamp ballasts, and others ) often have a power factor
below 1.0.
Instantaneous and average power
calculated from AC voltage and
current with a zero power factor
(φ = 90, cos φ = 0)
Instantaneous and average power
calculated from AC voltage and
current with a lagging power factor
(φ = 45, cos φ = 0.71)
• Power factor is included in the discussion of power quality for
several reasons.
• Power factor is a power quality issue in that low power factor can
sometimes cause equipment to fail.
• In many instances, the cost of low power factor can be high;
utilities penalize facilities that have low power factor because they
find it difficult to meet the resulting demands for electrical energy.
• The study of power quality is about optimizing the performance of
the power system at the lowest possible operating cost. Power
factor is definitely an issue that qualifies on both counts.
 Active and Reactive Power
Several different definitions and expressions can be applied to the term power factor,
most of which are probably correct. Apparent power (S) in an electrical system can be
defined as being equal to voltage times current:

where
V= phase-to-phase voltage (V) and
I= line current (VA).
 Active and Reactive Power
Power factor (PF) may be viewed as the percentage of the total apparent power
that is converted to real or useful power. Thus, active power (P) can be defined by:

In an electrical system, if the power factor is 0.80, 80% of the apparent power is
converted into useful work.
Can a power factor reach 100%?
The reason it is because all electrical circuits have inductance and capacitance, which
introduce reactive power requirements.
The reactive power is that portion of the apparent power that prevents it from obtaining a
power factor of 100%.
Reactive power sets up a magnetic field in the motor so that a torque is produced. It is also
the power that sets up a magnetic field in a transformer core allowing transfer of power from
the primary to the secondary windings.
Voltage, current, and power factor angle in a resistive/inductive circuit.

V is the voltage applied to a circuit and I is the

current in the circuit. In an inductive circuit, the
current lags the voltage by angle Ø, as shown
in the figure, and Ø is called the power factor
angle.
• Example 1:
What is the power factor of a resistive/inductive circuit characterized
by R = 2 Ω, L = 2.0 mH, f = 50 Hz?

• Example2 :
What is the power factor of a resistance/capacitance circuit when R =
10Ω, C = 100 μ F, and frequency (f) = 50 Hz?
1) XL= 2πfL = 2×π× 50 ×2×10–3 = 0.754Ω
The negative power factor angle
Tan Ø =XL/R= 0.754/2 = 0.377 indicates that the current leads
the voltage by 69.35°.
Ø = 20.66°

Power factor = PF = cos(20.66) = 0.936

2) XC = 1/2π fC = 1 / [ 2× π × 50 × 100 × 10 –6 ] = 26.54 Ω

Tan Ø = (– X C / R) = –2.654
Ø = –69.35°

Power factor = PF = cos Ø = 0.353

 POWER FACTOR IMPROVEMENT
Two ways to improve the power factor and minimize the apparent
power drawn from the power source are:

• Reduce the lagging reactive current demand of the loads

• Compensate for the lagging reactive current by supplying

leading reactive current to the power system
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION
In simple terms, power factor correction means reduction of lagging
reactive power (Q) or lagging reactive current (IQ). Consider Figure
below. The source V supplies the resistive/inductive load with
impedance (Z):
The –Q indicates that the reactive power is lagging. By supplying a leading reactive power
equal to Q, we can correct the power factor to unity.

Since Q/P = tan Ø and Q/P = ωL/R = tan Ø and Ø = tan–1(ωL /R), thus:
Example: In the circuit shown in Figure 5, V = 480 V, R = 1 Ω, and L = 1 mH; Find
a) active power , reactive power, power factor angle and power factor.
b) What would be the reactive power necessary to correct the power factor to 1.0.
c) What is the leading kVAR required to correct the power factor to 0.98?
The leading kVAR required in order to correct the power factor to 0.98 = 76.06 – 40.97 = 35.09.
Example:

A 5-MVA transformer is loaded to 4.5 MVA at a power factor of 0.82 lag. Calculate the
leading kVAR necessary to correct the power factor to 0.95 lag.

If the transformer has a rated conductor loss equal to 1.0% of the transformer rating,
calculate the energy saved assuming 24-hour operation at the operating load.
Thank you