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EXPERIMENT NO. 5: POWER FACTOR IN THREE-PHASE

CIRCUIT I. OBJECTIVES

1. To study and measure the power factor of a three phase load.

2. To improve the power factor of a three phase circuit through the use of capacitors.

II. DISCUSSION

The power factor of a three-phase circuit may be defined as the ratio of the true power
to the apparent power. In most residential and industrial applications, the loads
appear inductive and the current lags the voltage. This result in low power factors.
This is a disadvantage because a large amount of inductive power must be transmitted
through the lines and transformers. Losses in the system will increase, in addition, the
capability of the lines and transformer to transmit true power will be reduced. To remedy this
problem, capacitors are used the power factor. These capacitors supply the inductive power
required by the loads thereby reducing the amount of reactive power that must be supplied by
the source.
In this experiment, we are going to measure the power factor of a three phase load. In
addition, we are going to investigate the effects of connecting capacitor loads across the
original loads.

III. INSTRUMENTS AND COMPONENTS

ITEM NO. DESCRIPTION QUANTITY

UNIVERSAL POWER SUPPLY (FEEDBACK) 1
3 MH - INDUCTANCE LOAD (FEEDBACK) 3
1ΜF - CAPACITANCE LOAD (FEEDBACK) 1
POWER METER (D’ LORENZO) 1
LAMP, 220V, 25W 3
STANDARD SET of PATCH LEADS 1

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IV. PROCEDURE

1. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 5.1.

2. Measure the line-to-line voltage and line current.
3. Record the true, reactive, and apparent power and the power factor.
4. Connect the three capacitors in wye across the load and repeat Steps 2-5.
5. Connect the three capacitors in delta across the load and repeat Steps 2-5.

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V. CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS
1
Step 1: Load
Load
230V,
3-phase 2
source
3 Load

Step 4: 1

Load
Load
230V,
3-phase 2
source

3 Load
1

Step 5:
Load
Load
230V,
3-phase 2
source

3 Load

Figure 5.1: Experimental Circuits

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VI. DATA AND RESULTS

Original Load:

LINE CURRENTS
0.164
I1
0.160
I2
0.172
I3

LINE VOLTAGES

V1 228

V2 230.3

V3 229

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POWER & POWER FACTOR

0.057k
P
0.033k
Q
0.065k
S
0.86
PF

Original Load with wye-connected capacitors

LINE CURRENTS

I1 0.144

I2 0.148

I3
0.148

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LINE VOLTAGES

V1 227.9

V2 229.1

V3 228.6

POWER & POWER FACTOR

0.057k
P
0.014k
Q
0.059k
S
0.97
PF

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Original Load with delta-connected capacitors

LINE CURRENTS

I1 0.164

I2 0.168
0.180
I3

LINE VOLTAGES
228.3
V1
229.9
V2

V3
229.9

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POWER & POWER FACTOR

P 0.059k

Q -0.02k

S 0.063k

PF 0.93

VII. PROBLEMS:

A wye-connected load with ZA = 12 + j12 Ω, ZB = 15 + j 20 Ω and ZC = 10 Ω is

connected to a four-wire, 208 V system. Find the power factor of the load.
Za = 12 + 12j = 16.97056275 ∟45 Ω Sb = (4.80355424A2)( 15 + 20j)
Zb = 15 + 20j = 25∟53.13010235Ω Sb = 576.8533334∟53.13010235kVA
Zc = 10 Ω Sc = (12.0088856A2)( 10 Ω)
V = 208 / √3 = 120.088856v Sc = 1442.133334kVA
Ia = 120.088856v / 16.97056275Ω St = Sa + Sb + Sc
Ia = 7.076303701A St = 849.7852161∟45kVA +
576.8533334∟53.13010235kVA +
1442.133334kVA
Ib = 120.088856v / 25Ω St = 2614.688444∟23.97318447kVA
Ib = 4.80355424A ϴ = 23.97318447
Ic = 120.088856v / 10Ω cosϴ = 0.9137357182

Ic = 12.0088856A
Sa = (7.076303701A2)( 12 + 12j)
Sa = 849.7852161∟45kVA

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VIII. CONCLUSION

In conclusion the easiest way to measure the power factor of a three phase load is by using a power
meter, where in the experiment we connected the source to the power meter and then connect the power
meter to the three phase load.

To improve the power factor of the three phase delta connected load we connected three capacitors in wye
and in parallel to determine which can increase the power factor of the load better. As the data implies and
shows the best way to increase the power factor is connecting a wye connected capacitor to the load.

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