POWER FACTOR AND LIGHTNING
PROTECTION SYSTEMS
By Engineer Ahmed Mahdy/ Khadija Academy
Thank You For Joining our Electrical Design Course
Make Sure to Check Our Khadija Academy Membership
with the Highest Secret Discount for You
Click Here
DEFINITION OF POWER FACTOR
• Power Factor is a measure of how effectively incoming power is used
in your electrical system and is defined as the ratio of Real (working)
power to Apparent (total) power.
• Real Power (kW) is the power that actually powers the equipment
and performs useful, productive work. It is also called Actual Power,
Active Power or Working Power.
• Reactive Power (kVAR) is the power required by some equipment
(eg. transformers, motors and relays) to produce a magnetic field to
enable real work to be done.
• It’s necessary to operate certain equipment but you don’t see any
result for its use.
• Apparent Power (kVA) is the vector sum of Real Power (kW) and
Reactive Power (kVAR) and is the total power supplied through the
power mains that is required to produce the relevant amount of real
power for the load.
DEFINITION OF POWER FACTOR
DEFINITION OF POWER FACTOR
DRAWBACKS OF LOW PF
• Large kVA rating of equipment: The electrical machinery
(e.g., alternators, transformers, switchgear) is always rated in
kVA.
• It is clear that kVA rating of the equipment is inversely
proportional to power factor.
• The smaller the power factor, the larger is the kVA rating.
Therefore, at low power factor, the kVA rating of the
equipment makes the equipment larger and expensive.
• Greater conductor size: To transmit or distribute a fixed
amount of power at constant voltage, the conductor will
have to carry more current at low power factor. This
necessitates large conductor size.
DRAWBACKS OF LOW PF
• Large copper losses: The large current at low power
factor causes more I2^R losses which results in poor
efficiency.
• Poor voltage regulation: The large current at low lagging
power factor causes greater voltage drops in alternators,
transformers, transmission lines and distributors.
• This results in the decreased voltage available at the
supply end, so in order to keep the receiving end
voltage within permissible limits, extra equipment (i.e.
voltage regulators) is required.
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION USING
CAPACITOR BANKS
• When apparent power (kVA) is greater than
working power (kW), the utility must supply
the excess reactive current plus the working
current.
• Power capacitors act as reactive current
generators.
• By providing the reactive current, they
reduce the total amount of current your
system must draw from the utility.
• Theoretically, capacitors could provide 100%
of needed reactive power.
• In practical usage, however, power factor
correction to approximately 95% provides
maximum benefit.
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION USING
CAPACITOR BANKS
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION USING
CAPACITOR BANKS
How much can I save by installing power capacitors?
• Power capacitors provide many benefits:
• Reduced electric utility bills
• Increased system capacity
• Improved voltage
• Reduced losses
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
1. Lightning rod or air terminal to capture or
pick up lightning strike.
2. Down-conductor or copper strip which is
used to carry the lightning strike to the
earthing system.
3. Lightning strike recorder: to record number
of lightning events.
4. Earthing system: to dissipate lightning
strike.
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
How to design lightning protection
system?
1. Risk assessment calculation: To identify LPS
class.
2. Air termination system.
3. Down conductor.
4. Earth termination system.
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Risk assessment calculation
Factor Definition
Nd Expected yearly lightning strike frequency to the structure
Nc Tolerable lightning strike frequency to the structure
Ng Average flash density in the region per year ( strike/km^2/year)
Ae Equivalent collective area of the structure in km^2
C1 Environmental coefficient
C2 Structure coefficient
C3 Structure contents coefficient
C4 Structure occupancy coefficient
C5 Lightning consequence coefficient
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Nd or expected lightning frequency calculation
Nd = Ng * Ae * C1 *10^-6
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Ng or Average flash density in the region per year ( strike/km^2/year)
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Nc or Tolerable lightning strike frequency to the structure calculation
1.5∗10^−3
Nc =
𝐶2∗𝐶3∗𝐶4∗𝐶5
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Nc or Tolerable lightning strike frequency to the structure calculation
1.5∗10^−3
Nc =
𝐶2∗𝐶3∗𝐶4∗𝐶5
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Risk assessment calculation
If Nd > Nc ; we need to install LPS
If Nd < or = Nc ; LPS is optional.
𝑵𝒄
Lightining protection efficiency = 𝟏 −
𝑵𝒅
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Applications according to protection level
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Conventional Franklin rod
• This type of lightning protectors were made up of a typically 6 meters copper rod.
• Protection radius is up to 30 meters meter in radii.
• It is used for protecting small structure areas or zones such as households, water tanks,
watch towers and gardens.
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Vertical Air termination rod design
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Vertical Air termination rod design
Distance between two rods = 𝟐 𝟐𝑹𝑯 − 𝑯^𝟐
H is height of the rod
R is the rolling sphere radius
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Mesh Method
Mesh Method used for protection of plane (flat) roof structures and
should not be used on curved surfaces.
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Mesh Method
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Natural components method
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Down conductor design
LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM
Earth termination system
