POWER FACTOR ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT FO

The system presented in this document aims to reduce the penalty for industrial units using automatic power factor correction units. The objective of this project is to enhance energy efficiency by addressing the lagging power factor prevalent in inductive loads such as motors and transformers. Methodologically, an Arduino Uno microcontroller is employed to manage the operation of the system, which utilizes zero-cross detectors to ascertain the zero-crossings of voltage and current. The time difference between these pulses is captured and processed by the microcontroller, which subsequently commands relays to insert shunt capacitors into the load circuit. This intervention continues until the power factor achieves unity. Additionally, the proposed system features a delay time display between current and voltage on an LCD screen. The project can also be upgraded by implementing thyristor control switches to mitigate contact issues due to high inrush current commonly associated with switched capacitors. Overall, the results indicate that the deployment of this automatic power factor correction mechanism effectively balances the power factor, leading to reduced electricity costs for industries.