Reactive Power Compensation of Reactive Components

November 9th , 2013

Reactive Power Compensation

Reactive Power can best be described as the quantity of unused! power that is deve"oped by reactive components, such as inductors or capacitors in an #C circuit or system$ %n a &C circuit, the product of vo"ts ' amps! (ives the power consumed in watts by the circuit$ )owever, whi"e this formu"a is a"so true for pure"y resistive #C circuits, the situation is s"i(ht"y more comp"e' in an #C circuits containin( reactive components as this vo"t*amp product can chan(e with frequency$ %n an #C circuit, the product of vo"ta(e and current is e'pressed as vo"t*amperes +,#- or .i"o vo"t*amperes +.,#- and is .nown as Apparent power, symbo" S$ %n a non*inductive pure"y resistive circuit such as heaters, irons, .ett"es and fi"ament bu"bs, etc$ their reactance is practica""y /ero, and the impedance of the circuit is composed a"most entire"y of 0ust resistance$ 1or an #C resistive circuit, the current and vo"ta(e are in*phase and the power at any instant can be found by mu"tip"yin( the vo"ta(e by the current at that instant, and because of this in*phase! re"ationship, the rms va"ues can be used to find the equiva"ent &C power or heatin( effect$ )owever, if the circuit contains reactive components, the vo"ta(e and current waveforms wi"" be out*of*phase! by some amount determined by the circuits phase an("e$ %f the phase an("e between the vo"ta(e and the current is at its ma'imum of 90 o, the vo"t*amp product wi"" have equa" positive and ne(ative va"ues$ %n other words, the reactive circuit returns as much power to the supp"y as it consumes resu"tin( in the avera(e power consumed by the circuit bein( /ero, as the same amount of ener(y .eeps f"owin( a"ternate"y from source to the "oad and bac. from "oad to source$ 2ince we have a vo"ta(e and a current but no power dissipated, the e'pression of P 3 %, +rms- is no "on(er va"id and it therefore fo""ows that the vo"t*amp product in an #C circuit does not necessari"y (ive the power consumed$ 4hen in order to determine the rea" power!, a"so ca""edActive power, symbo" P consumed by an #C circuit, we need to account for not on"y the vo"t*amp product but a"so the phase an("e difference between the vo"ta(e and the current waveforms (iven by the equation5 VI.cos$ 4hen we can write the re"ationship between the apparent power and active or rea" power as5

Note that power factor +P1- is defined as the ratio between the active power in watts and the apparent power in vo"t*amperes and indicates how effective"y e"ectrica" power is bein( used$ %n a non*inductive resistive #C circuit, the active power wi"" be equa" to the apparent power as the fraction of P/S becomes equa" to one or unity$ # circuits power factor can be e'pressed either as a decima" va"ue or as a percenta(e$

6ut as we"" as the active and apparent powers in #C circuits, there is a"so another power component that is present whenever there is a phase an("e$ 4his component is ca""edReactive Power +sometimes referred to as ima(inary power- and is e'pressed in a unit ca""ed vo"t*amperes reactive!, +,#r-, symbo" Q and is (iven by the equation5 VI.sin$ Reactive power, or ,#r, is not rea""y power at a"" but represents the product of vo"ts and amperes that are out*of*phase with each other$ 4he amount of reactive power present in an #C circuit wi"" depend upon the phase shift or phase an("e between the vo"ta(e and the current and 0ust "i.e active power, reactive power is positive when it is supp"ied! and ne(ative when it is consumed!$ 4he re"ationship of the three e"ements of power, active power, +watts- apparent power, +,#- and reactive power, +,#r- in an #C circuit can be represented by the three sides of ri(ht*an("ed trian("e$ 4his representation is ca""ed a Power 4rian("e as shown5

Power Triangle Representation of Power in an AC Circuit

1rom the above power trian("e we can see that #C circuits supp"y or consume two .inds of power5 active power and reactive power$ #"so, active power is never ne(ative, whereas reactive power can be either positive or ne(ative in va"ue so it is a"ways advanta(eous to reduce reactive power in order to improve system efficiency$ 4he main advanta(e of usin( #C e"ectrica" power distribution is that the supp"y vo"ta(e "eve" can be chan(ed usin( transformers, but transformers and induction motors of househo"d app"iances, air conditioners and industria" equipment a"" consume reactive power which ta.es up space on the transmission "ines since "ar(er conductors and transformers are required to hand"e the "ar(er currents which you need to pay for$

Reactive Power &efinition

%n many ways, reactive power can be thou(ht of "i.e the head of a pint of beer$ 7ou pay for a fu"" ("ass of beer but on"y drin. the actua" "iquid beer which is "ess than a pint because the head +or froth- of the beer ta.es up additiona" wasted space in the ("ass "eavin( "ess room for the rea" beer, and the same is true for reactive power$ 6ut for many industria" power app"ications, reactive power is often usefu" for a circuit to have$ 8hi"e the rea" or active power is the ener(y supp"ied to run a motor, heat a home, or i""uminate an e"ectric "i(ht bu"b, reactive power provides the important function of re(u"atin( vo"ta(e he"pin( to move power effective"y throu(h the uti"ity (rid and transmission "ines to where it is required by the "oad$ 8hi"e reducin( reactive power to he"p improve power factor and system efficiency is a (ood thin(, one of the disadvanta(es of reactive power is that a sufficient quantity of it is required to contro" the vo"ta(e and overcome the "osses in a transmission networ. because if the networ. vo"ta(e is not hi(h enou(h, active power cannot be supp"ied$ 6ut havin( too much reactive power f"owin( around in the networ. can cause e'cess heatin( +% 2R "ossesand undesirab"e vo"ta(e drops and "oss of power a"on( the transmission "ines$

Power Factor Correction of Reactive Power

9ne way to avoid reactive power char(es, is to insta"" power factor correction capacitors$ Norma""y residentia" customers are char(ed on"y for the active power consumed in .i"o*watt hours +.8hr- because near"y a"" residentia" and sin("e phase power factor va"ues are essentia""y the same due to power factor correction capacitors bein( bui"t into most domestic app"iances by the manufacturer$ %ndustria" customers, on the other hand, which use 3*phase supp"ies have wide"y different power factors, and for this reason, the e"ectrica" uti"ity may have to ta.e the power factors of these industria" customers into account payin( a pena"ty if their power factor drops be"ow a prescribed va"ue because it costs the uti"ity companies more to supp"y industria" customers since "ar(er conductors, "ar(er transformers, "ar(er switch(ear, etc, is required to hand"e the "ar(er currents$ :enera""y, for a "oad with a power factor of "ess than 0$9; more reactive power is required$ 1or a "oad with a power factor va"ue hi(her than 0$9; is considered (ood as the power is bein( consumed more effective"y, and a "oad with a power factor of 1$0 or unity is considered perfect and does not use any reactive power$ 4hen we have seen that apparent power! is a combination of both reactive power! and active power!$ #ctive or rea" power is a resu"t of a circuit containin( resistive components on"y, whi"e reactive power resu"ts from a circuit containin( either capacitive and inductive components$ #"most a"" #C circuits wi"" contain a combination of these R ! and C components$ 2ince reactive power ta.es away from the active power, it must be considered in an e"ectrica" system to ensure that the apparent power supp"ied is sufficient to supp"y the "oad$ 4his is a critica" aspect of understandin( #C power sources because the power source must be capab"e of supp"yin( the necessary vo"t*amp +,#- power for any (iven "oad$

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Extension
Active power is t&e energ' supplie) to run a motor &eat a &ome or illuminate an electric lig&t +ul+. If voltage on t&e s'stem is not &ig& enoug& active power cannot +e supplie). Reactive power is use) to provi)e t&e voltage levels necessar' for active power to )o useful wor,. Reactive power is essential to move active power t&roug& t&e transmission an) )istri+ution s'stem

"asic concept of Reactive Power

%&' %e (ee) Reactive Power*
Reactive power provi)es t&e important function of regulating voltage.

to t&e customer .Reactive power is re-uire) to maintain t&e voltage to )eliver active power .watts$ t&roug& transmission lines.

/otor loa)s an) ot&er loa)s re-uire reactive power to convert t&e flow of electrons into useful wor,. %&en t&ere is not enoug& reactive power t&e voltage sags )own an) it is not possi+le to pus& t&e

power )eman)e) +' loa)s t&roug& t&e lines.0

1$

Reactive Power is a "'pro)uct of AC S'stems

Transformers Transmission lines an) motors re-uire reactive power. 2lectric motors nee) reactive Transformers an) transmission lines intro)uce in)uctance as well as resistance "ot& oppose t&e flow of current /ust raise t&e voltage &ig&er to pus& t&e power t&roug& t&e in)uctance of t&e lines 3nless capacitance is intro)uce) to offset in)uctance power to pro)uce magnetic fiel)s for t&eir operation.

1. 2. 3. 4$

5ow Voltages Controlle) +' Reactive Power*

Voltages are controlle) +' provi)ing sufficient reactive power control margin to suppl' nee)s S&unt capacitor an) reactor compensations 6'namic compensation Proper voltage sc&e)ule of generation. Voltages are controlle) +' pre)icting an) correcting reactive power )eman) from loa)s t&roug&

1. 2. 3.

7$

Reactive Power an) Power Factor

Reactive power is present w&en t&e voltage an) current are not in p&ase 8ne waveform lea)s t&e ot&er P&ase angle not e-ual to 9: Power factor less t&an unit' /easure) in volt;ampere reactive .VAR$ Pro)uce) w&en t&e current waveform lea)s voltage waveform .!ea)ing power factor$ Vice verse consume) w&en t&e current waveform lags voltage .lagging power factor$

1. 2. 3.

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Reactive Power !imitations*

Reactive power )oes not travel ver' far. 3suall' necessar' to pro)uce it close to t&e location w&ere it is nee)e) A supplier/source close to t&e location of t&e nee) is in a muc& +etter position to provi)e reactive Reactive power supplies are closel' tie) to t&e a+ilit' to )eliver real or active power.

power versus one t&at is locate) far from t&e location of t&e nee)

Reactive Power Cause) A+sence of 2lectricit' ; A "lac,out

T&e -ualit' of t&e electrical energ' suppl' can +e evaluate) +asing on a num+er of parameters. 5owever t&e most important will +e alwa's t&e presence of electrical energ' an) t&e num+er an) )uration of interrupts.

%&en consumption of electrical energ' is &ig& t&e )eman) on in)uctive reactive power increases at

t&e same proportion. In t&is moment t&e transmission lines .t&at are well loa)e)$ intro)uce an e=tra in)uctive reactive power. T&e local sources of capacitive reactive power +ecome insufficient. It is necessar' to )eliver more of t&e reactive power from generators of power plants.

It mig&t &appen t&at t&e' are alrea)' full' loa)e) an) t&e reactive power will &ave to +e )elivere)

from more )istant places. Transmission of reactive power will loa) more t&e lines w&ic& in turn will intro)uce more reactive power. T&e voltage on customer si)e will )ecrease furt&er. !ocal control of voltage +' means of auto transformers will lea) to increase of current .to get t&e same power$ an) t&is in turn will increase voltage )rops in lines. In one moment t&is process can go li,e avalanc&e re)ucing voltage to >ero. In mean time most of t&e generators in power plants will switc& off )ue to unaccepta+l' low voltage w&at of course will )eteriorate t&e situation.

Insufficient reactive power lea)ing to voltage collapse &as +een a causal factor in ma?or +lac,outs in

t&e worl)wi)e. Voltage collapse occurre) in 3nite) States in t&e +lac,out of @ul' 1 #AAB an) August#9 #AAB on t&e %est Coast

%&ile August #7 1994 +lac,out in t&e 3nite) States an) Cana)a was not )ue to a voltage collapse

as t&at term &as tra)itionall' use) +' power s'stem engineers t&e tas, force final report sai) t&at0 Insufficient reactive power was an issue in t&e +lac,out0 an) t&e report also Coverestimation of )'namics reactive output of s'stem generation 0 as common factor among ma?or outages in t&e 3nite) States.

6eman) for reactive power was unusuall' &ig& +ecause of a large volume of long;)istance

transmissions streaming t&roug& 8&io to areas inclu)ing Cana)a t&an nee)e) to import power to meet local )eman). "ut t&e suppl' of reactive power was low +ecause some plants were out of service an) possi+l' +ecause ot&er plants were not pro)ucing enoug& of it.0

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