Increasing the Apparent Power Capacity

The power factor improvement releases system capacity and permits additional loads (motors,
lighting, etc.) to be added without overloading the system. This could be seen in Figure 3.1.
When the power factor increases, the apparent power (S) for the same active power decreases.

The recovered apparent power in percent of the active power demand or the initial kVA demand could be
found as

The results of applying the above equations for various values of initial PF’s (cosФ1 ) and improved PF’s
(cosФ2 ) are also tabulated and plotted graphically.

Recovered kVA

P P
Recovered kVA = S1 − S2 = −
cos ϕ1 cos ϕ2

kVA Recovered in % of kW Demand

1 1
Recovered kVA% = S1 − S2 = P ( − ) × 100
cos ϕ1 cos ϕ2

1 1
Recovered kVA% = S1 − S2 = S1 ( − ) cos ϕ1 × 100 (3.2)
cos ϕ1 cos ϕ2
 The results of applying Equation 3.2 on various values of initial P.F. (cos φ 1 ) and improved P. F.
(cos φ2 ) are shown in Figure 3.2.

100
kVA Recoverd in % of kW Demand

80

60
cos Ф2 1
0.9
40 0.8
0.7
20
0.6
0
1 0.95 0.9 0.85 0.8 0.75 0.7 0.65 0.6 0.55 0.5
Initial P.F cos Ф 1

Figure 3.2 system capacity vs. power factor

Reduction in Voltage Drop

The low values of P.F. for a certain line cause the flow of a high reactive current, which
consequently leads to an increase in the voltage drop along the line.
Injection of a certain amount of reactive power in the above line will reduce the reactive current
flow in it up to the point of injection, which will obviously reduce the voltage drop up to that point and
consequently improve the voltage profile of the whole line.
Assume that a capacitor is installed at the end of a certain line; the afforded voltage rise (ΔV) at the
end of the line can be found as

The voltage drops before compensation

PR + QX
∆V1 = (3.13)
Vrat
The voltage drops after compensation

PR + (Q − Qc )X
∆V2 = (3.14)
Vrat

The voltage rise ∆V = ∆V1 − ∆V2

Qc X
∆V = (3.15)
Vrat

where
P, Q - transmitted active and reactive power.
Qc - injected reactive power.
V - Original line voltage.
X - Line reactance.
It is clear from Equation 3.15 that the voltage rise is independent of the load variation, which may
cause a rise in voltage during low load periods to a value exceeding the substation voltage.
Reactive Power in Transmission Lines