Solved Example:

For single phase system:

Consider a single-phase AC system that has the following data:

Given:

Voltage (V) =230 V

Power (P) = 1.5 kW

Old power factor (p.f1) =0.7 unit

New power factor (p.f2) =0.9 unit

Frequency (f) =50 Hz

Required:

Required Reactive Power= Qc = ? (KVARs)

Required Capacitance= C = ? (µF)

Solution:

From single phase AC circuit formula

Ø1 = Cos-1 (0.7)
Ø1 = 45.6°
Ø2 = Cos-1(0.9)
Ø2 = 25.85°
Qc =1.5 * 1000 * (tan⁡(45.6°) - tan⁡(25.85°))
Qc = 804.193 VARs or 0.804 KVARs
C=
804.193 2302 * 2 * 3.14 * 50
C = 48.41 µF
For 3 phase system:
Consider a three-phase system that has the following data:

Given:

Voltage (V) =3815 V (phase voltage)

Power (P) = 20 kW

Old power factor (p.f1) =0.7 unit

New power factor (p.f2) =0.9 unit

Frequency =50 Hz

Required:

Required Reactive Power= Qc = ? (KVARs)

Required Capacitance= C = ? (µF)

Solution:

From 3 phase AC circuit formula

Ø1 = Cos-1 (0.7)
Ø1 = 45.6°
Ø2 = Cos-1(0.9)
Ø2 = Cos-125.85°
Qc =20 * 1000 * (tan⁡(45.6°) - tan⁡(25.85°))
Qc = 10722.58 VARs or 10.722 KVARs
C=
10722.58 38152 * 2 * 3.14 * 50
C = 2.346 µF
If line voltages are given then we just divide the given line voltage
by 1.73 (root 3) (for Y-connection load only if delta connected load
is given then no changes required).

For example: for a Y- connected load the line voltage is given as

V=6600 V (line to line), while all the other data given remains same:

C=
10722.58 (6600/1.73)2 * 2 * 3.14 * 50
C = 2.346 µF