Description:Field of invention
This invention optimizes electrical systems by combining data analytics, power factor correction, and Internet of Things technologies. It improves power quality, reduces energy consumption, and increases efficiency in various settings.
The objectives of this invention
This invention's purpose is, to optimize the efficiency of electrical systems by improving the power factor, enabling real-time monitoring and remote management, implementing predictive maintenance algorithms, reducing energy consumption and associated costs, contributing to environmental sustainability, designing the system to be scalable and adaptable, and develop an intuitive user interface for easy configuration, monitoring, and management.
Background of the invention
Power factor is a crucial aspect of electrical systems efficiency. The power factor in circuits with alternating current (AC) is described as the actual power divided by apparent power, which is the circuit's product of voltage and current. Inefficient use of electrical power is indicated when the power factor is low, which results in higher electricity bills, increased energy losses, and reduced system capacity. The purpose of correcting for power factor is to increase this ratio by decreasing the system's reactive power component.
Historically, power factor correction has been implemented using fixed or switched capacitors. These capacitors compensate for the reactive power drawn by inductive utilities, such as motors and transformers, thereby improving the power factor. However, these traditional methods often lack flexibility and adaptability to varying load conditions, leading to suboptimal performance and energy wastage.
The emergence of IoT technology has enabled the connectivity and communication of devices over the Internet, revolutionizing several industries. IoT devices, equipped with sensors, actuators, and communication capabilities, can collect and exchange data in real-time, enabling remote monitoring, analysis, and control of physical systems. In the context of power management, IoT technology offers the potential to increase power factor correction systems' intelligence, reliability, and efficiency.
By integrating IoT technology with power factor correction systems, it becomes possible to create smart, adaptive solutions that continuously monitor electrical parameters, analyze data, and adjust corrective measures in real-time. IoT-enabled power factor correction systems offer benefits such as remote monitoring and control, predictive maintenance, energy optimization, and scalability.
US6700358B2 discloses the importance of power factor correction in electrical systems, the challenges associated with maintaining optimal power factors, and the need for automated systems to handle power factor correction efficiently. Specifically, the system determines the phase angle of the power drawn and determines which combination of capacitors to connect to the power line to reduce a determined reactive power level.EP4187763A1 discloses the significance of power quality in electrical networks, the challenges in keeping low-voltage systems voltage, frequency, and harmonics constant, and the requirement for advanced monitoring and control systems.
Implementing the systems described in the above patents may require significant complexity in terms of hardware, software, and control algorithms. This complexity could increase costs and maintenance requirements. The described systems may not be easily scalable to accommodate larger electrical grids or networks without significant modifications or additional infrastructure.
Summary of the invention
In essence, the present invention contemplates an IOT-based automated power factor correction and monitoring technology to address the need for efficient energy management in electrical systems. The system leverages IoT devices, advanced algorithms, and remote connectivity to optimize power factor, reduce energy losses, and ensure system reliability.
IoT sensors are deployed throughout the electrical network to continuously monitor power factors such as power factor, voltage, and current. The data collected by sensors is processed by IoT gateway devices or microcontrollers that transmit it to the cloud platform for analysis. The cloud platform receives and processes the data, leveraging advanced analytics to derive actionable insights.
The power factor correction unit (PFCU) contains capacitors or other reactive power compensation devices, which adjust reactive power to maintain optimal power factor based on instructions from the cloud platform.
The system's functionality includes real-time monitoring of electrical parameters, data analytics, remote management, automatic adjustment, and predictive maintenance. The sensors capture electrical parameters in real-time, providing accurate data for analysis. The system also enables users to monitor and control the system remotely via a user-friendly interface, allowing for adjustments to PFCU settings based on analysis results.
The benefits of this system include energy efficiency, cost savings, environmental sustainability, remote accessibility, predictive maintenance, scalability, and a user-friendly interface. It optimizes power factors to minimize energy losses and improve overall system efficiency, reduces electricity bills, prevents costly downtime, decreases energy wastage and greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances equipment lifespan and reliability
Detailed description of the invention
In today's technological revolution, electricity is very useful and electronics are becoming more complex. For this reason, each unit of energy produced must be sent to long distances with less energy loss. But as the number of inductive loads increases, the size changes, etc. The loss also doubles. Therefore, it has become wise to find the cause of bad electricity and increase the power of electricity. Due to the increased use of inductive equipment, the power of electrical equipment is greatly reduced, resulting in system loss and power loss.

By measuring the delay in the arrival of the current signal relative to the voltage signal from the source, an automatic power factor correction device uses an internal timer to determine accuracy in calculating power factor from line voltage and current. Phase angle lag (e) between the voltage and current signals is identified first, and then the related power factor (cos o) is calculated. From there, the microcontroller senses when compensation is needed and activates the appropriate capacitors from the capacitor bank until the power factor approaches unity.

An electrical capacitor is a passive device with two terminals that store energy in an electric field. Although there are many different types of practical capacitors, they all have two electrical conductors at least that are divided by an insulator, or dielectric. In many everyday electrical devices, capacitors are utilized as integral components of electrical circuits. When there is a potential difference (voltage) across the conductors, a positive charge builds up on one plate and a negative charge builds up on the other, creating a static electric field across the dielectric. The capacitor's electrical charge storage capacity is indicated by its 2.5 µF rating.

An electrical power source is the power supply. PSUs, or power supply units, are apparatuses or systems that provide electrical or other forms of energy to a collection of loads or an output load. The word most frequently refers to electrical energy sources; mechanical and other energy sources are used less frequently.

A transformer is a static device that converts electrical power between circuits with different voltages and currents but at the same frequency. It has no moving parts.

In power supply, safety circuits, and various control circuits, current sensors are widely employed to detect and regulate the load current. Accurately detecting the current's magnitude is essential in situations where current control is required, such as power supply.

The relay module has eight electromagnetic relays controlled by digital pins of the Arduino microcontroller. To adjust for power factor, they activate capacitors. Because the relays are normally open (NO), they only close when the corresponding capacitor and load are connected in parallel and the logic on a digital pin is high. A parallel port and bus are used to interface the relay module with the Arduino microcontroller's digital pins. The power supply provides a voltage of 12V to the relay driver. An LED is connected across the terminals of every relay to indicate that the relay is operational and has been turned on.

The Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board that is built around the ATmega328. It has a ceramic resonator operating at 16 MHz, six analog inputs, fourteen digital input/output pins (six of which can be used as PWM outputs), a reset button, a USB connector, a power jack, and an ICSP header. It comes with everything needed to support the microcontroller; all you have to do to get it running is power it with a battery or an AC-to-DC adapter, or you can use a USB cable to connect it to a computer.
Unlike all other boards, the Uno does not employ the FTDI USB-to-serial driver chip. Alternatively, the Atmega16U2 (or Atmega8U2 till version R2) is set up to function as a serial-to-USB converter.
A cost-effective Wi-Fi microchip with a lot of potential for consumers and Internet of Things enthusiasts is the ESP8266. This compact, adaptable module is ideal for a variety of projects since it combines low power consumption, microcontroller capabilities, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The wide range of applications and user-friendliness of the ESP8266 has solidified its popularity, ranging from robotics and remote control to homeautomation and sensor data collection. Even if there are other solutions, many developers still choose the ESP8266 because of its existing ecosystem and price.
The widespread flat-panel screens in our electronic environment are called LCDs, or liquid crystal displays. They produce images using a layer of liquid crystals and a backlight, as opposed to light-emitting screens. Light can travel through certain regions and generate an image because this liquid crystal layer bends light when an electric field is applied. Suitable for a wide range of devices, LCDs are lightweight, thin, and energy-efficient. LCDs continue to lead the display market because of their affordability, adaptability, and steady progress even as other technologies appear.
Allegro MicroSystems provides a flexible and easy-to-use current sensor called the ACS712. It is unique in that it can measure both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC), which makes it useful for a wide range of applications. The ACS712 uses the Hall effect to detect current without disrupting the circuit, in contrast to conventional methods that require this kind of intervention. The electrical isolation that this sensor provides between the circuit and the measured current improves safety. Its 1.2 mO low internal resistance further reduces power loss. The ACS712 makes integration with microcontrollers like the Arduino UNO easier by producing an analog voltage that is proportionate to the measured current.

Brief description of drawing
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings.
Figure 1 Diagram showing Regulated power supply with the LED connection
Figure 2 Circuit diagram of Automatic power factor correction and monitoring using IOT.
Figure 3 Hardware Implementation
Detailed description of the drawing
As shown in figure 1, the AC mains voltage (230V, 50Hz) is stepped down to 12V AC using a transformer.The bridge rectifier(1b)is used to rectify the 12V AC to produce pulsating DC.The 1000 µF capacitor smoothes the pulsating DC. The LM7805 voltage regulator(1c) ensures a stable 5V DC output. The 10 µF capacitor further smoothens the output voltage. The LED(1d) indicates when the power supply is operational and provides the 5V output.

The figure 2 integrates several components to create a controlled environment where an Arduino can manage AC power to a lamp(2c) via relays, monitor current through a sensor, display information on an LCD(2d), and communicate wirelessly using an ESP8266 module. The setup is suitable for applications requiring real-time monitoring and control of electrical devices with user interaction and remote communication capabilities.

The figure 3 describes thehardware setup of an automatic power factor correction (APFC) system enhanced with IoT capabilities, designed to improve energy efficiency by managing and correcting the power factor of an electrical load in real-time. The core of the system is a microcontroller(3a), likely an Arduino, which monitors the power factor using connected sensors and displays relevant data on an LCD screen. When the power factor deviates from the optimal range, the microcontroller activates relays to switch capacitors(3g) in and out of the circuit, thereby compensating for reactive power and correcting the power factor. The system's IoT functionality enables remote monitoring and control, allowing users to access real-time data and manage the system through a web or mobile application. This combination of automatic correction and IoT connectivity ensures efficient power usage and provides convenient, remote oversight, reducing power losses and enhancing overall system performance.
3 Claims & 3 Figures , Claims:The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims:
Claims:
1. A system/method to automatic power factor correction and monitoring using IOT comprises:

a) A current transformer (CT) and a voltage sensor to measure the current and voltage of the load and send this data to the microcontroller (3b).
b) The Microcontroller (3b) calculates the power factor using the sensor data. If the power factor is below the desired threshold, the microcontroller activates a Relay Module (3c).
c) The Relay Module (3c) switches a Capacitor Bank (3e) into the circuit to correct the power factor. The corrected power factor, along with other parameters like voltage and current, is displayed on a LCD Display (3a).
d) A IoT Module (3g) transmits the data to a remote server or cloud for remote monitoring and control, enabling users to monitor the system's performance remotely.

2. As mentioned in claim 1,by maintaining a consistently high power factor through IoT-enabled monitoring and correction solution, businesses can mitigate voltage fluctuations and reactive power surges, thereby extending the lifespan of electrical equipment and reducing maintenance costs significantly

3. According to claim 1, the IoT connectivity offers remote monitoring and control of power factor correction equipment, providing real-time insights into power quality parameters and enabling proactive maintenance to prevent costly downtime and operational disruptions.