POWER FACTOR CORRECTION FOR VARIOUS TYPE OF MAGNETIC FLUX

BALLAST FLOURESCENT LAMP

MOHD ALL FADZIL BIN NASIR

This Report Is Submitted In Partial Fulfillment Of Requirements For The Degree

Of Bachelor In Electrical Engineering

(Power Electronic and Drives)

Faculty of Electrical Engineering

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA, MELAKA

MAY 2009

ii

“I declare that this report entitle “Power Factor Correction for Various type Of Magnetic

Flux” is the result that my own research except as cited in the references. The report has

not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature of any

other degree.

Signature : …………………………………………………….

Student :MOHD ALL FADZIL BIN NASIR

Date :….MAY 2009

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to express my thankfulness and gratitude to Allah S.W.T who has

given me all the strength complete this final year project and also prepare this report.

With this opportunity, I would like to express my gratitude to the Faculty of

electrical Engineering (FKE), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) generally and

especially to my supervisor Mr. Hairul Nizam Bin Talib for his help, advices and guidance

during completely this project.

And also to my parents, thank to them for their support. Last but no least, I would

like to thank all my friends whom have been such wonderful friends and to everyone who

was involved indirectly this project. I would like to thank them for all support and

encouragement which have given me the courage and wisdom to fulfill my final year

project. Thank you!!

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ABSTRACT

This project report is to analysis the electrical parameter of various types of magnetic

ballast fluorescent lamp. This project is conducted to improve power consumption of

magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp by improving the power factor. A few model of

magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp were selected as the sample of study. The electrical

characteristic of magnetic ballast were analysis such as starting voltage, current, power

consumption, power factor and harmonic. Based on the sample analysis on a few brand

ballast magnetic have low power factor around 0.6 and as we known the good for

electrical appliance have a power factor between 0.8-0.99 The design of the power factor

correction for magnetic ballast has been broken down into its subsections and the theory,

analysis and design the power factor improvement for magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp

All this discuss by detailed in this report. This project was developed with included the

selected magnetic ballast and will be analyzed the electrical parameter such as starting

voltage, current, steady-state condition, power consumption, power factor and harmonic

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ABSTRAK

Laporan projek ini dibuat menganalisis ballast magnetik bagi lampu pendafluor.

Kegunaan projek ini adalah untuk memperbaiki factor kuasa ballast magnetik lampu

Beberapa jenis ballast magnetic akan di pilih untuk bahan kajian. Ballast magnetic yang

di pilih akan di analisis dari segi parameter elektrik seperti permulaan voltan, arus,

penggunaan kuasa, factor kuasa dan harmonic. Daripada analisis yang di lakukan ke atas

beberapa jenis ballast magnetik mempunyai factor kuasa yang rendah iaitu kira-kira 0.5

dan seperti mana yang di ketahui sesebuah perkakasan adalah lebih bagus mempunyai

nilai factor kuasa di antara 0.8-0.99. Oleh yang demikian, pembinaan projek ini

dipecahkan kepada dua bahagian iaitu bahagian teori, analisis dan pembangunan litar

bagi ballast magnetic untuk mempertingkatkan factor kuasa. Semua ini dibincangkan

secara terperinci di dalam laporan ini. Pembangunan projek ini merangkumi ballast

magnetik yang telah di pilih dan di analisis dari segi voltan, arus masukan, penggunaan

kuasa, factor kuasa dan harmonik.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE

TITLE PAGE i

ADMISSION ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT iii

ABSTRACT iv

ABSTRAK v

TABLE OF CONTENTS vi

LIST OF TABLES ix

LIST OF FIGURES x

LIST OF APPENDICES xiii

1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Problem Statements 2

1.3 Project Objective 2

1.4 Project Scope 3

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 Fluorescent Lamp 4

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2.1.1 Fluorescent Lamp Parts 4

2.1.2 Fluorescent Lamp Operation 5

2.1.3 Fluorescent Lamp Circuit Operation 6

2.2 Electrical Characteristic of Lamp 6

2.2.1 Lamp Starting and Run Up 7

2.2.2 Lamp Running and Stability 7

2.3 Magnetic Ballast 8

2.3.1 The Preheat Circuit 9

2.3.2 Lead-lag Switch 10

2.3.3 Series-connected magnetic Ballast 10

2.4 Starter of Lamp 11

2.5 Power Factor 12

2.5.1 Power Factor Explanation 12

2.5.2 Power Factor Correction 13

3 METHODOLOGY 15

3.1 Flow chart 15

3.2 OrCAD 17

3.3 Fluke Power Quality Analyzer 19

3.3.1 Measuring Lighting Load 20

4 RESULTS 26

4.1 Calculation and simulation 26

4.1.1 Magnetic ballast 26

4.1.2 Effect of Power Factor Selected 32

Ballast

4.1.3 Capacitor Details 34

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4.1.4 Power Factor Improvement for 35

IL LEMAX magnetic ballast

4.2 Measurement from the 38

Fluke Analyzer

4.2.1 IL LEMAX 38

4.2.2 9 unit florescent lamp with the LITE 41

magnetic ballast

4.3 Discussions from the results 43

4.3.1 Power Factor Comparison before PFC 44

4.3.2 Power Factor Comparison after PFC 45

4.3.3 9 Unit Fluorescents Lamp 46

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 48

5.1 Conclusion 48

5.2 Recommendation 48

LIST OF REFERENCES 49

APPENDICES 50

ix

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGE

4.1 Measurement for IL LEMAX, XC and EFR 28

4.2 The value power factor of XC and EFR 33

4.3 Power factor of magnetic ballast after improvement 37

4.4 Power Factor comparison before PFC 44

4.5 Power Factor comparison after PFC 45

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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TITLE PAGE

2.1 The electromagnetic spectrum 4

2.2 The fluorescent lamp 5

2.3 Structure of fluorescent lamp 5

2.4 Circuit of fluorescent lamp 6

2.5 Magnetic Ballast 8

2.6 Connection Plat E& I 8

2.7 Winding copper at the Plat 9

2.8 Pre-Heat circuit 9

2.9 Lead-lag Switch for two lamps 10

2.10 Equivalent circuit of series connected 10

ballasts

2.11 Phase displacement of VM (Supply), 11

VB (Ballast), and VL (Lamp)

2.12 Starter of Lamp 11

2.13 Place of Starter lamp 11

2.14 TH=Cathode preheats time, 12

TT= Total time to start

2.15 Phase displacement between 13

voltage and current

2.16 Power Factor Corrections 13

2.17 Phase displacement between voltage 14

and current after Power Factor Correction

2.18 Phasor Diagram 14

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3.1 Flow chart of magnetic ballast for 15

power factor improvement construction

3.2 OrCAD Capture CIS 17

3.3 Schematic Diagram 17

3.4 Simulation Setting 18

3.5 Graph Simulation 18

3.6 Total Power Dissipation 19

3.7 Fluke Quality Analyzer 19

3.8 Lighting Load Connection 21

3.9 Power and Power Factor Measurement 23

Connection

3.10 Power Menu 23

3.11 Total Harmonic Distortion 24

Measurement Connection

3.12 Total Harmonic Menu 25

4.1 Resistive lamp model 26

4.2 Magnetic ballast simplified model 27

4.3 Type of magnetic ballast 27

4.4 Impedance diagram 28

4.5 Simulation model of the magnetic 29

ballast IL LEMAX

4.6 Simulation result of output voltage 31

waveform for the magnetic ballast (IL LEMAX)

4.7 Phase displacement for the magnetic 32

ballast IL LEMAX

4.8 Simulation result of current magnetic 33

ballast IL LEMAX

4.9 Falanke capacitor 34

4.10 Simulation model for IL LEMAX 36

after adding capacitor

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4.11 Phase Displacement between voltage and 36

current(IL LEMAX)

4.12 IL LEMAX after Power Factor Improvement 26

4.13 3 Unit Lamp 38

4.14 9 unit fluorescent lamps with LITE 41

magnetic ballast

4.15 Type of magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp 44

4.16 LITE magnetic ballast improvement 46

xiii

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX TITLE PAGE

A Project Planning 50

B Simulation Model magnetic ballast 51

XC, EFR and LITE

C Output voltage waveform ballast 52

XC, EFR and LITE

D Magnetic ballast EFR 53

E Magnetic ballast XC 54

F Magnetic ballast LITE 55

G Type of fluorescent lamp power 56

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Generally, fluorescent lamp is an electrical type of the lighting in various kind

adobes. Fluorescent lamps equipped with magnetic ballast to provide the starting

voltage to initiate the discharge and limit the running current from the power

supply. Based on this project, selected magnetic ballast will be analyze such as on

starting voltage, current, steady-state condition, power factor, power consumption

and harmonic. A study has been conduct and it proves that magnetic ballast

fluorescent lamp can have poor phase displacement between the voltage and

current. The poor phase displacement on the magnetic ballast that means the poor

power factor will occur in the magnetic ballast. Power compensation can be done

by the use of a capacitor. Power factor correction will be built and develop for

selected magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp After that the electrical will be analyze

such as the starting voltage, current, steady-state condition, power consumption,

power factor and compare with the magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp without

power factor correction. The result will be showed; the power consumption will be

decrease after power factor improved. This will saved the power consumption in

magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp.

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1.2 Problem statements

Based on the problem faced nowadays which is an increase in electricity

rated, a research in conduct on other electricity usage that can produce the saving

the power consumption In this project, power saving can be done by reducing total

power consumption used by electrical appliance. Power consumption can be

decreased with increasing power factor for all electrical appliance for instance at

fluorescent lamp. The magnetic ballast at fluorescent lamp has the power factor as

low as 0.5. Several model of magnetic ballast have a high quantity and

concentration of winding within a piece of equipment reduces the power factor. In

this project, magnetic ballast fluorescent lamp will be selected and all of its

electrical parameter will be analyze such as starting voltage, current, steady-state

condition, power consumption, power factor and harmonic. Power factor

improvement will applied to the selected ballast model with addition suitable done

of power factor correction.

1.3 Project Objective

These are the objectives of this project:

1. Identify the electrical model for selected type magnetic ballast fluorescent

lamp.

2. To analysis the electrical parameter such as starting voltage, current, steady-

state condition, harmonic, power consumption and power factor.

3. To design the power factor improvement for the selected type magnetic

ballast fluorescent lamp.

3

1.4 Project Scope

These are the scope of this project:

1. This project is analysis on the selected three type of magnetic ballast, there

are IL LEMAX, XR, EFR, LITE fluorescent lamp.

2. Electrical model of magnetic ballast will be calculated and simulated based

on the measurement of actual referred model.

3. Measurement the parameter of magnetic ballast from the lab test and

simulation based on the actual model.

4. Power factor improvement will be applied for each magnetic ballast model.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Fluorescent Lamp

A fluorescent lamp can be defined as a low-pressure mercury-vapor

electrical-discharge having the inside wall of glass bulb or tube coated with

fluorescent material so that the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the discharge of

phosphor converted to visible radiation into the light of an acceptable color.

Electrical energy dissipated in the electrical discharge is converted mainly into

electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) region of spectrum [1]. The visible

portion of the spectrum covers the wavelength range from approximately 380 nm to

780 nm as shown in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1: The electromagnetic spectrum [1]

2.1.1 Fluorescent Lamp Parts

Basically, a fluorescent lamp is made up of five components:

Glass Tube - coated on the inside with fluorescent powder called Phosphor

Two Electrodes (cathode) – coated with emitter, supported by a glass mount

structure and sealed at the end of the tube.

Filling Gas – usually a low-pressure of Argon or Krypton/Argon mixture.

5

Mercury Vapor – small amount(less than 20mg), which vaporizes during the

lamp operation.

Lamp Cap – lamp cap cemented to each end of the tube to connect the lamp to

the lighting circuit.

Figure 2.2: The fluorescent lamp [9]

2.1.2 Fluorescent Lamp Operation

When the circuit is energized, electricity heats the cathodes. See Figure 2.3. The

cathodes are coated with material which, when heated, emits electrons. The electrons

establish an electric arc between the cathodes at opposite ends of the tube. The electrons

collide with the mercury atoms, causing mercury to emit invisible ultra-violet radiation [2].

The ultra-violet is absorbed by the phosphor coating on the tube and re-radiated as visible

light.

Figure 2.3: Structure of fluorescent lamp [9]

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2.1.3 Fluorescent Lamp Circuit Operation

Figure 2.4 shows the basic fluorescent lamp circuit. The circuit must contain a

ballast to limit the current and a starter to provide the pre-heat conditions. Initially the

starter switch closes so the two cathodes are connected in series. Current flows and the

cathodes heat up emitting electrons. After a short time the starter switch opens so voltage is

applied across the tube. If sufficient electrons are available an arc is struck and the starter

plays no further part until the next starting operation. If there are insufficient electrons, the

tube will flicker, fail to start, and the starter will repeat the heating of the cathodes. The

ballast limits the current to a safe and appropriate level for the power of lamp. Without the

ballast, the current would increase to a high level and the lamp would destroy itself [9].

Figure 2.4: Circuit of fluorescent lamp [10]

2.2 Electrical Characteristic of Lamp

All fluorescent lamp and discharge lamps require suitable circuits and control gear

or ballast components for starting and operation. The electrical characteristics and the

behavior of such lamps are complex and depend on the type of circuit, the supply source,

the design of the ballast components and sometimes the operating condition [2].

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2.2.1 Lamp Starting and Run Up

i. Starting Voltage

A higher and normal voltage is required to initiate the ionization process in

discharge lamps. If the supply voltage is insufficient the additional starting

voltage may be generated by transformers, starting devices, semi-resonant

circuits or pulse producing components. The voltage required for lamp

starting may depend on the external temperature, humidity and any electric

fields [2].

ii. Lamp run-up

The time of run-up depends on the lamp, the circuit and the ballast.

Fluorescent lamp stabilizes in a very short time and gives full light output

very shortly after starting. Discharge lamps containing only rare gas

required no run-up time and the electrical characteristics do not change

significantly after starting [9].

2.2.2 Lamp Running and Stability

i. Current runaway

In the arc discharge region the characteristics has a negative slope due to the

cumulative effect of electron-atom collisions producing ionization. To

prevent current runaway and ensure stable operation from a constant voltage

power supply the negative characteristics must be counterbalanced by

circuit element having positive characteristics. This element is called ballast

[2].

ii. Alternating current operation

When operated on an alternating supply, the electrical properties of gas

vapor discharge depend on the frequency and the type of ballast. The

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effective impedance of the lamp is approximately equivalent to a non-linear

resistance and an inductance in series.

2.3 Magnetic Ballast

Figure 2.5: Magnetic Ballast

Magnetic ballast is device intended to limit the amount of current in an electric

circuit. All fluorescent lamps require ballast for starting operation to generate the required

starting voltage and during running condition for limiting the alternating current us the

lamp impedance becomes very low during running. For higher-power installations too

much energy would be wasted in resistive ballasts, so alternatives are used that depend

upon the reactance of inductors, capacitor or both. All electromagnetic ballasts are

basically inductor having core made up of iron laminations and winding made up of copper

or aluminum wire [9].

Component in magnetic ballast:

Inductor

Iron (Plat E & I)

Figure 2.6: Connection Plat E & I [2]

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Figure 2.7: Winding copper at the Plat

The ballasts made to operate fluorescent lamp are not all the same. Each specific

type of fluorescent lamp requires its own ballast design. Both the lamps and the ballasts are

categorized according to the method by which they start and operate. The first fluorescent

lamps were instants-started.

2.3.1 The Preheat Circuit

The preheat circuit was developed next as a way to reduce the ballast size, weight

and cost. The lamp filaments are preheat prior to lamp ignition, but separate switching

device is needed to start the lamp Most common used is referred to as the ‘glow bottle”

starter.

Figure 2.8: Pre-Heat circuit [9]

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2.3.2 Lead-lag Switch

Almost at the very onset of fluorescent lamp usage, it was found desirable to

operate two lamps from the same ballasts. One of the lamps is connected in series with an

inductor, while the other is in series with a capacitor plus an inductor, which it still needed

to help limit the current. The overall circuit will then provide a power factor close to unity.

Figure 2.9: Lead-lag Switch for two lamps [11]

2.3.3 Series-connected magnetic Ballast

The series-connected choke ballast produces a phase displacement of 55 to 65

degrees between supply voltage and lamp current and this enables a hanger sustaining

voltage to be available at the start of every half-cycle(Figure 2.11.a). Operation is more

stable and the current distortion is low (Figure 2.11.b). The prime function of ballast is to

prevent current runaway and to operate the lamp at its correct electrical characteristics. The

ballast should be efficient, ensure proper lamp starting and ensure stable lamp run-up and

operation. Supply voltage in the range 220-240 V, a nominal lamp voltage in the 70-145 V.

Figure 2.10: Equivalent circuit of series connected ballasts

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a)

b)

Figure2.11: Phase displacement of VM (Supply), VB (Ballast), and VL (Lamp)

2.4 Starter of Lamp

A fluorescent light does not have the usual glowing filament of an incandescent

bulb, but instead contains a mercury vapor that gives off ultraviolet light when ionized. The

ultraviolet light makes particles that coat the inside of the tube, and these particles glow.

Figure 2.12: Starter of Lamp [9]

Fluorescent starters are used in several types of fluorescent lights. The starter is

there to help the lamp light. When voltage is applied to the fluorescent lamp, here's what

happens because the starter (which is simply a timed switch) allows current to flow through

the filaments at the ends of the tube. Secondly, the current causes the starter's contacts to

heat up and open, thus interrupting the flow of current and since the lighted fluorescent

tube has a low resistance, the ballast now serves as a current limiter.

Figure 2.13: Place of Starter Lamp [9]