EE2192 Laboratory Practice IV

Use of Series and Shunt Capacitors in

Transmission Lines

Instructed by: Mr. Branesh Pillai

Name

: G.D.Porawagamage

Index No.

: 100395M

Group

:9

Calculations
Series Capacitance
1
XC ) =
2fC
Series Capacitive Reactance
XL ) = 2 fL
Inductive Reactance

PU Compensation of the Line =

Series Capacitive Reactance

Inductive Reactance

PU Compensation of the Line =

XC
XL

Specimen Calculation
(C= 32 F, L= 0.15H, f =50 Hz
XC =

1
= 99.47
25032 10-6

XL = 2 50 0.15 = 47.12
PU Compensation of the Line =

= 2.11

99.47
47.12

Graphs
Series Capacitance

Series capacitive reactance vs. Power received

Capacitance (F)

Xc ( )

Wattmeter Reading (W)

30

106.10

30

31

102.68

30

32

94.47

45

34

93.62

50

38

83.77

50

Series Capacitive Reactance vs. Power Recieved

60

55

50

45

Power Recieved (W)

40

35

30

25

20
80

85

90

95

100

Capacitve Reactance ()

105

110

PU

Capacitance (F)

PU Compensation

Power received(W)

30

2.25

30

31

2.17

30

32

2.11

45

34

1.98

50

38

1.78

50

Compensation vs. Power received

PU Compensation vs. Power Recieved

60

55

50

45

Power Recieved (W)

40

35

30

25

20
1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

PU Compensation

2.1

2.2

2.3

Shunt
Shunt capacitance

Capacitance (F)

Power received (W)

43
44
45
46
49
52
55

110
110
110
115
110
115
110

Capacitance
vs. Power received

Shunt Capacitance vs. Power Recieved

116

115

114

113

112

Power Recieved (W)

111

110

109

108

107
40

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

Shunt Capacitance(F)

56

58

60

Discussion.
i)

Effect of power factor on power system.

Power factor can be given as the ratio between active power and reactive power.

power factor =

active power
apperent power

The power factor will be in between 1and 0. So the maximum power factor can be
achieved is 1. The higher power factor means system is supplied with more active power. Lower
power factor means system is supplied with more reactive power.
For domestic usage we normally consume only active power. But in industrial
applications, there are some applications which required reactive power. At those cases industries
can keep their power factor value at a limited value using capacitor banks.
With the decrease of power factor system will contain higher amount of reactive power.
There for, system will have to be supplied at a higher apparent power value to give the required
active power. Then, it will lead to increase in system current and hence to the power loss in
supply cables given by

I2 R

as well the cost of other system equipment to handle higher

current. There for, it is required to keep the power factor of the system at a higher value that is
close to one.

ii) Usefulness of shunt capacitors in improving power factor of load

Usually power factor is affected by inductive loads in the system. So those inductive loads make
the power factor decrease. There for suppliers have to supply more power to provide the required
active power. Usually industries use more and more inductive loads and they are charged
according to their maximum demand. Typically, industries require more power while they are
starting their machines and they require more reactive power at those times. There for to keep the
demanded reactive power at a lower value hence to the lower power factor of loads, industries use
shunt capacitance as capacitor banks with their loads.
As can be seen from the practical higher the shunt capacitance gives the higher active power
values, that means higher power factor for the load.
There for industries use shunt capacitors as capacitor banks to increase their load power factor
and hence to decrease their electricity bill.

iii) Effect of series and shunt capacitance.

Series capacitance

Shunt capacitance

Not very much popular

Most popular method

Same current flow through the capacitors as

through loads

Same voltage is applied across the capacitors as

across the load

Capacitors have to handle large current

Capacitors have to handle much voltage

For a given capacitance effect on power factor is

less than using as shunt

For a given capacitance effect on power factor is

higher than using as series

iv) Other available methods for power factor correction.

Synchronous generators ; for power factor corrections a synchronous generator can be used on no
load condition. This will act like a variable capacitor and can be operated according to the load.

Filters; filters are used for power factor correction by filtering out harmonic currents. And this
method have disadvantageous that is it requires expensive large- value , high current inductors.
Power electronic systems; this is used to improve the power factor by controlling current drawn by
loads so that the current wave form is proportional to the voltage wave form.