1/23/2016

HowtoFindCapacitorSizeinkVAR&FforPfImprovement

How to Calculate the Suitable Capacitor Size in Farads & kVAR for
Power factor Improvement

Electrical Technology 11/04/2013

Basic/Important Electrical Formulas, Capacitors, Controlling, Generation Transmission and Distribution, How To, Over
Head Lines, Power factor, Power System, Questions/Answers (Electrical), Single Phase AC Circuits, Three Phase AC Circuits
98,354 Views

HowtoCalculatetheSuitableCapacitorSizeinFarads&kVARforPowerfactorImprovement(Easiestway
ever)

Hithere!Withaveryimportanttutorial..IhopeyouwillfinditveryusefulbecauseIhavealreadyspenttwodays
topreparethisarticle.Ithinkallofthosewhohavesentmessagesandmailsaboutthetopicwillneveraskagainif
they follow these simple methods to calculate the proper Size of Capacitor bank in kVAR and microfarads for
powerfactorcorrectionandimprovementinbothsinglephaseandthreephasecircuits.Ithinkitstoomuch..
Nowletsbegin

ConsiderthefollowingExamples.

Example:1
A3Phase,5kWInductionMotorhasaP.F(Powerfactor)of0.75lagging.WhatsizeofCapacitorinkVARis
requiredtoimprovetheP.F(PowerFactor)to0.90?

Solution#1(BySimpleTableMethod)

MotorInput=5kW
FromTable,MultipliertoimprovePFfrom0.75to0.90is.398
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.75to0.90
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=kWxTable1Multiplierof0.75and0.90
=5kWx.398
=1.99kVAR
AndRatingofCapacitorsconnectedineachPhase
1.99/3=0.663kVAR

Solution#2(ClassicalCalculationMethod)

Motorinput=P=5kW
OriginalP.F=Cos1=0.75
FinalP.F=Cos2=0.90
1=Cos1=(0.75)=41.41;Tan1=Tan(41.41)=0.8819
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2=Cos1=(0.90)=25.84;Tan2=Tan(25.50)=0.4843
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.75to0.90
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=P(Tan1Tan2)
=5kW(0.88190.4843)
=1.99kVAR
AndRatingofCapacitorsconnectedineachPhase
1.99/3=0.663kVAR

Tables(CapacitorsizinginkVArandFaradsforPFcorrection)

ThefollowingtableshavebeenpreparedtosimplifykVARcalculationforpowerfactorimprovement.Thesizeof
capacitorinkVARisthekWmultipliedbyfactorintabletoimprovefromexistingpowerfactortoproposedpower
factor.ChecktheothersExamplesbelow.
Tablefrom0.01to0.09(Clickimagetoenlarge)

Tablefrom0.10to0.30(Clickimagetoenlarge)

Check Also

What is LabVIEW and How to make

basic Electrical Projects in

LabVIEW?

Tablefrom0.31to0.49(Clickimagetoenlarge)
Introduction to LabVIEW and
Basic LabVIEW Based
Electrical Projects As a
proven useful tool for

Tablefrom0.50to0.74(Clickimagetoenlarge)

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Tablefrom0.75to1.00(Clickimagetoenlarge)

ThewholeTablefrom0.10to1.0(Clickimagetoenlarge)

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Example2:

AnAlternatorissupplyingaloadof650kWataP.F(Powerfactor)of0.65.WhatsizeofCapacitorinkVAR
isrequiredtoraisetheP.F(PowerFactor)tounity(1)?AndhowmanymorekWcanthealternatorsupply
forthesamekVAloadingwhenP.Fimproved.

Solution#1(BySimpleTableMethod)

SupplyingkW=650kW
FromTable1,MultipliertoimprovePFfrom0.65tounity(1)is1.169
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.65tounity(1)
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=kWxTable1Multiplierof65and100
=650kWx1.169
=759.85kVAR
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WeknowthatP.F=Cos=kW/kVA...or
kVA=kW/Cos
=650/0.65=1000kVA
WhenPowerFactorisraisedtounity(1)
NoofkW=kVAxCos
=1000x1=1000kW
HenceincreasedPowersuppliedbyAlternator
1000kW650kW=350kW

Solution#2(ClassicalCalculationMethod)

SupplyingkW=650kW
OriginalP.F=Cos1=0.65
FinalP.F=Cos2=1
1=Cos1=(0.65)=49.45;Tan1=Tan(41.24)=1.169
2=Cos1=(1)=0;Tan2=Tan(0)=0
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.75to0.90
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=P(Tan1Tan2)
=650kW(1.1690)
=759.85kVAR

HowtoCalculatetheRequiredCapacitorbankvalueinbothkVARandFarads?
(HowtoConvertFaradsintokVARandViceVersa)

Example:3

ASinglephase400V,50Hz,motortakesasupplycurrentof50AataP.F(Powerfactor)of0.6.Themotor
powerfactorhastobeimprovedto0.9byconnectingacapacitorinparallelwithit.Calculatetherequired
capacityofCapacitorinbothkVARandFarads.

Solution.:

(1)TofindtherequiredcapacityofCapacitanceinkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.6to0.9(TwoMethods)

Solution#1(BySimpleTableMethod)

MotorInput=P=VxIxCos
=400Vx50Ax0.6
=12kW

FromTable,MultipliertoimprovePFfrom0.60to0.90is0.849
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.60to0.90
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=kWxTableMultiplierof0.60and0.90
=12kWx0.849
=10.188kVAR

Solution#2(ClassicalCalculationMethod)

MotorInput=P=VxIxCos
=400Vx50Ax0.6
=12kW
ActualP.F=Cos1=0..6
RequiredP.F=Cos2=0.90
1=Cos1=(0.60)=53.13;Tan1=Tan(53.13)=1.3333
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2=Cos1=(0.90)=25.84;Tan2=Tan(25.50)=0.4843
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.60to0.90
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=P(Tan1Tan2)
=5kW(1.33330.4843)
=10.188kVAR

(2)TofindtherequiredcapacityofCapacitanceinFaradstoimproveP.Ffrom0.6to0.9(TwoMethods)

Solution#1(UsingaSimpleFormula)

WehavealreadycalculatedtherequiredCapacityofCapacitorinkVAR,sowecaneasilyconvertitintoFaradsby
usingthissimpleformula
RequiredCapacityofCapacitorinFarads/Microfarads
C=kVAR/(2fV2)inmicrofarad

PuttingtheValuesintheaboveformula
=(10.188kVAR)/(2xx50x4002)
=2.0268x104
=202.7x106
=202.7F

Solution#2(SimpleCalculationMethod)

kVAR=10.188(i)

Weknowthat;
IC=V/XC

WhereasXC=1/2FC

IC=V/(1/2FC)
IC=V2FC
=(400)x2x(50)xC
IC=125663.7xC

And,
kVAR=(VxIC)/1000[kVAR=(VxI)/1000]
=400x125663.7xC
IC=50265.48xC(ii)

EquatingEquation(i)&(ii),weget,

50265.48xC=10.188C
C=10.188/50265.48
C=2.0268x104
C=202.7x106
C=202.7F

Example4
WhatvalueofCapacitancemustbeconnectedinparallelwithaloaddrawing1kWat70%laggingpower
factorfroma208V,60HzSourceinordertoraisetheoverallpowerfactorto91%.

Solution:

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YoucanuseeitherTablemethodorSimpleCalculationmethodtofindtherequiredvalueofCapacitanceinFarads
orkVARtoimprovePowerfactorfrom0.71to0.97.SoIusedtablemethodinthiscase.
P=1000W
ActualPowerfactor=Cos1=0.71
DesiredPowerfactor=Cos2=0.97
FromTable,MultipliertoimprovePFfrom0.71to0.97is0.783
RequiredCapacitorkVARtoimproveP.Ffrom0.71to0.97
RequiredCapacitorkVAR=kWxTableMultiplierof0.71and0.97
=1kWx0.783
=783VAR(requiredCapacitanceValueinkVAR)
CurrentintheCapacitor=

IC=QC/V
=783/208
=3.76A

And
XC=V/IC
=208/3.76=55.25
C=1/(2fXC)
C=1(2x60x55.25)
C=48F(requiredCapacitanceValueinFarads)

GoodtoKnow:
ImportantformulaswhichisusedforPowerfactorimprovementcalculationaswellasusedintheabovecalculation

PowerinWatts
kW=kVAxCos
kW=HPx0.746or(HPx0.746)/Efficiency(HP=MotorPower)
kW=(kVA2kVAR2)
kW=P=VICos(SinglePhase)
kW=P=3xVxICos(ThreePhase)

ApparentPowerinVA
kVA=(kW2+kVAR2)
kVA=kW/Cos

ReactivePowerinVA
kVAR=(kVA2kW2)
kVAR=Cx(2fV2)

Powerfactor(from0.1to1)
PowerFactor=Cos=P/VI(SinglePhase)
PowerFactor=Cos=P/(3xVxI)(ThreePhase)
PowerFactor=Cos=kW/kVA(BothSinglePhase&ThreePhase)
PowerFactor=Cos=R/Z(Resistance/Impedance)

XC=1/(2fC)(XC=Capacitivereactance)
IC=V/XC(I=V/R)

RequiredCapacityofCapacitorinFarads/Microfarads
C=kVAR/(2fV2)inmicrofarad

RequiredCapacityofCapacitorinkVAR
kVAR=Cx(2fV2)
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