COMSATS UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD

Abbottabad CAMPUS
Department of Electrical Power Engineering

Power Factor Improvement System

GROUP MEMBERS:

SECTION: EPE-
5D
1. Kashif Ur Rehman FA17-EPE-017
2. Hammad Sheikh FA17-EPE-012
3. Syed Atif Ahmed FA17-EPE-163
4. Sabih Ullah FA17-EPE-020
5. Ali Khan FA17-EPE-202

COURSE:
MICRO-PROCESSOR SYSTEMS AND INTERFACING

REPORT TYPE:
INITIAL

SUBMITTED TO:
SIR SAYED MASHOOD MURTAZA

SUBMISSION DATE:
21st January 2021
 Power Factor Improvement System

1. ABSTRACT:

In this project we are working on Power Factor Improvement (PFI). Power

factor improvement is a technique which improve the power factor that is less
than one. Power factor improvement may be applied either by an electrical
power transmission utility to improve the stability and efficiency of the
transmission network or may be installed by individual electrical customers to
reduce the costs charged to them by their electricity supplier. There are many
control methods for the Power Factor Improvement. In this project we want
to work to describes the design and development of a power factor
improvement using PIC (Programmable Interface Controller) microcontroller
chip.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW:

Jones and Blackwell proposed a technique for maintaining a synchronous

motor at unity power factor (or minimum line current) from no-load to full-
load conditions, assuring peak efficiency. This concept stemmed from an
adaptation of the Energy Saver Power Factor Improvement for induction
motors developed and patented by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The
method constantly and automatically adjusted the DC field current of a 3-
phase synchronous machine such that the AC line current would always
operate at the minimal point of the well-known "V" curves [Jones and
Blackwell 1983].
This project involves measuring the power factor value from the load using PIC
and proper algorithm to determine and trigger sufficient switching capacitors
in order to compensate excessive reactive components, thus bringing power
factor near to unity.
 Figure 1: Picture showing PIC based PFI System

3. INTRODUCTION:
The basic purpose of this project is to improve the power factor to reduce the
cost or electricity bills.
In this project the components to be used are available in market having
different prices. Microcontroller (PIC18F452) is available in market in
Rs:850/-LCD is available in market in Rs:300/-. Capacitors which are available
in market in Rs.60-80/- and Resistors which are available in market in Rs.15-
25/-. Step down transformer which are available in market in Rs.450/-.
In this project, we are using a microcontroller as one of the main
components, the capacitors and resistors is connected with the
microcontroller(PIC18F452) as input and the LCD will be connected as output
giving us the reading. By using all these we are making an power factor
improvement circuit. This project is of very less cost and very helpful in daily
life using instruments and especially in the industries.
4. BLOCK DIAGRAMS:
4.1: SINGLE (Level 0) BLOCK DIAGRAM :

The single line block diagram is as follows.

 Figure.2: Single Block Diagram (Level zero Block Diagram)
4.1: Detailed (Level 1) BLOCK DIAGRAM:

The detailed block diagram level 1 is shown below:

Figure. 3: Level 1 Detailed Block Diagram

5. METHODOLOGY:
The design aims to monitor phase angle continuously and in the event of
phase angle deviation, an improvement or correction action is initialized
to compensate for this difference by continuous changing variable
capacitors value via switching process. The overall system requires only
one PIC chip, a few power electronic components and a bank of
capacitors.
6. COMPONENTS TO BE USED:

 Micro-controller (PIC18F452)
 Lcd (display)
 Capacitors
 Resistors
 Step down transformer

7. Pin diagram:
Pin diagram of PIC 18F452 is shown in figure 4. 18F 452 has 5 ports named
as RA, RB, RC, RD and RE. Each pin of PIC 18F452 has more than one
functions. Pin 11 and 32 are used as VDD, pin 12 and 31 are used as VSS.
Pin 13 and 14 are used for oscillator. Pin 1 is used for reset and it is used
in case of programming.

Figure 4: Pin diagram of PIC 18F452