How to Calculate the Suitable Capacitor Size in Farads & kVAR

for Power factor Improvement (Easiest way ever)

How to Calculate the Suitable Capacitor Size in Farads & kVAR for Power factor
Improvement (Easiest way ever)

Hi there! With a very important tutorial.. I hope you will find it very useful because I have already spent
two days to prepare this article. I think all of those who have sent messages and mails about the topic
will never ask again if they follow these simple methods to calculate the proper Size of Capacitor bank in
kVAR and micro-farads for power factor correction and improvement in both single phase and three
phase circuits. I think its too much..
Now lets begin...
Consider the following Examples.

Example: 1
A 3 Phase, 5 kW Induction Motor has a P.F (Power factor) of 0.75 lagging. What size of Capacitor
in kVAR is required to improve the P.F (Power Factor) to 0.90?

Solution #1 (By Simple Table Method)
Motor Input = 5kW
From Table, Multiplier to improve PF from 0.75 to 0.90 is .398
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.75 to 0.90
Required Capacitor kVAR = kW x Table 1 Multiplier of 0.75 and 0.90
= 5kW x .398
= 1.99 kVAR
And Rating of Capacitors connected in each Phase
1.99/3 = 0.663 kVAR

Solution # 2 (Classical Calculation Method)
Motor input = P = 5 kW
Original P.F = Cos1 = 0.75
Final P.F = Cos2 = 0.90
1 = Cos
-1
= (0.75) = 41.41; Tan 1 = Tan (41.41) = 0.8819
2 = Cos
-1
= (0.90) = 25.84; Tan 2 = Tan (25.50) = 0.4843
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.75 to 0.90
Required Capacitor kVAR = P (Tan 1 - Tan 2)
= 5kW (0.8819 0.4843)
= 1.99 kVAR
And Rating of Capacitors connected in each Phase
1.99/3 = 0.663 kVAR

Example 2:
An Alternator is supplying a load of 650 kW at a P.F (Power factor) of 0.65. What size of Capacitor
in kVAR is required to raise the P.F (Power Factor) to unity (1)? And how many more kW can the
alternator supply for the same kVA loading when P.F improved.

Solution #1 (By Simple Table Method)
Supplying kW = 650 kW
From Table 1, Multiplier to improve PF from 0.65 to unity (1) is 1.169
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.65 to unity (1)
Required Capacitor kVAR = kW x Table 1 Multiplier of 65 and 100
= 650kW x 1.169
= 759.85 kVAR

We know that P.F = Cos = kW/kVA . . .or
kVA = kW / Cos
= 650/0.65 = 1000 kVA
When Power Factor is raised to unity (1)
No of kW = kVA x Cos
= 1000 x 1 = 1000kW
Hence increased Power supplied by Alternator
1000kW 650kW = 350kW

Solution # 2 (Classical Calculation Method)
Supplying kW = 650 kW
Original P.F = Cos1 = 0.65
Final P.F = Cos2 = 1
1 = Cos
-1
= (0.65) = 49.45; Tan 1 = Tan (41.24) = 1.169
2 = Cos
-1
= (1) = 0; Tan 2 = Tan (0) = 0
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.75 to 0.90
Required Capacitor kVAR = P (Tan 1 - Tan 2)
= 650kW (1.169 0)
= 759.85 kVAR

How to Calculate the Required Capacitor bank value in both kVAR and Farads?
(How to Convert Farads into kVAR and Vice Versa)

Example: 3
A Single phase 400V, 50Hz, motor takes a supply current of 50A at a P.F (Power factor) of 0.6. The
motor power factor has to be improved to 0.9 by connecting a capacitor in parallel with it.
Calculate the required capacity of Capacitor in both kVAR and Farads.

Solution.:

(1) To find the required capacity of Capacitance in kVAR to improve P.F from 0.6 to
0.9 (Two Methods)

Solution #1 (By Simple Table Method)
Motor Input = P = V x I x Cos
= 400V x 50A x 0.6
= 12kW
From Table, Multiplier to improve PF from 0.60 to 0.90 is 0.849
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.60 to 0.90
Required Capacitor kVAR = kW x Table Multiplier of 0.60 and 0.90
= 12kW x 0.849
= 10.188 kVAR

Solution # 2 (Classical Calculation Method)
Motor Input = P = V x I x Cos
= 400V x 50A x 0.6
= 12kW
Actual P.F = Cos1 = 0..6
Required P.F = Cos2 = 0.90
1 = Cos
-1
= (0.60) = 53.13; Tan 1 = Tan (53.13) = 1.3333
2 = Cos
-1
= (0.90) = 25.84; Tan 2 = Tan (25.50) = 0.4843
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.60 to 0.90
Required Capacitor kVAR = P (Tan 1 - Tan 2)
= 5kW (1.3333 0.4843)
= 10.188 kVAR

(2) To find the required capacity of Capacitance in Farads to improve P.F from 0.6 to
0.9 (Two Methods)

Solution #1 (Using a Simple Formula)
We have already calculated the required Capacity of Capacitor in kVAR, so we can easily convert it into
Farads by using this simple formula
Required Capacity of Capacitor in Farads/Microfarads
C = kVAR / (2 f V
2
) in microfarad
Putting the Values in the above formula
= (10.188kVAR) / (2 x x 50 x 400
2
)
= 2.0268 x 10
-4

= 202.7 x 10
-6

= 202.7F

Solution # 2 (Simple Calculation Method)
kVAR = 10.188 (i)
We know that;
IC = V/ XC
Whereas XC = 1 / 2 F C
IC = V / (1 / 2 F C)
IC = V 2 F C
= (400) x 2 x (50) x C
IC = 125663.7 x C
And,
kVAR = (V x IC) / 1000 [kVAR =( V x I)/ 1000 ]
= 400 x 125663.7 x C
IC = 50265.48 x C (ii)
Equating Equation (i) & (ii), we get,
50265.48 x C = 10.188C
C = 10.188 / 50265.48
C = 2.0268 x 10
-4

C = 202.7 x 10
-6

C = 202.7F

Example 4
What value of Capacitance must be connected in parallel with a load drawing 1kW at 70% lagging
power factor from a 208V, 60Hz Source in order to raise the overall power factor to 91%.

Solution:
You can use either Table method or Simple Calculation method to find the required value of Capacitance
in Farads or kVAR to improve Power factor from 0.71 to 0.97. So I used table method in this case.
P = 1000W
Actual Power factor = Cos1 = 0.71
Desired Power factor = Cos2 = 0.97
From Table, Multiplier to improve PF from 0.71 to 0.97 is 0.783
Required Capacitor kVAR to improve P.F from 0.71 to 0.97
Required Capacitor kVAR = kW x Table Multiplier of 0.71 and 0.97
= 1kW x 0.783
=783 VAR (required Capacitance Value in kVAR)
Current in the Capacitor =
IC = QC / V
= 783 / 208
= 3.76A
And
XC = V / IC
= 208 / 3.76 = 55.25
C = 1/ (2 f XC)
C = 1 (2 x 60 x 55.25)
C = 48 F (required Capacitance Value in Farads)

Good to Know:
Important formulas which is used for Power factor improvement calculation as well
as used in the above calculation

Power in Watts
kW = kVA x Cos
kW = HP x 0.746 or (HP x 0.746) / Efficiency (HP = Motor Power)
kW = ( kVA
2
- kVAR
2
)
kW = P = VI Cos (Single Phase)
kW = P =3x V x I Cos (Three Phase)

Apparent Power in VA
kVA= (kW
2
+ kVAR
2
)
kVA = kW/ Cos

Reactive Power in VA
kVAR= (kVA
2
- kW
2
)
kVAR = C x (2 f V
2
)

Power factor (from 0.1 to 1)
Power Factor = Cos = P / V I (Single Phase)
Power Factor = Cos = P / (3x V x I) (Three Phase)
Power Factor = Cos = kW / kVA (Both Single Phase & Three Phase)
Power Factor = Cos = R/Z (Resistance / Impedance)

XC = 1/ (2 f C) (XC = Capacitive reactance)
IC = V/ XC (I = V / R)

Required Capacity of Capacitor in Farads/Microfarads
C = kVAR / (2 f V
2
) in microfarad

Required Capacity of Capacitor in kVAR
kVAR = C x (2 f V
2
)