Prototype design of a personal static VAr compensator

A prototype personal static VAr compensator (PSVC) has been designed and implemented for load power factor correction for both residential and commercial applications. The PSVC demonstrates the two key benefits of power factor correction, which include decreased power costs and increased system capacity. The PSVC also demonstrates conventional static VAr compensator (SVC) principles that are routinely applied by power utilities. The designed PSVC prototype consists of two main branches-a TSC (thyristor switched capacitor) branch and a TCR (thyristor controlled reactor) branch. A microcontroller is responsible for calculating the displacement power factor and for executing the fuzzy logic control scheme for the two branches. The PSVC is being evaluated using an inductive load and an AC motor. Test results are presented in this paper.