Implementation of a Microcontroller-Based Power Factor Correction System for EBSU Engineering Laboratories

Poor power factor in engineering laboratory environments leads to increased energy costs, transformer overloading, and equipment inefficiency, problems widely reported in Nigerian universities. This study implements a microcontroller-based automatic power factor correction (APFC) system for the engineering laboratories at Ebonyi State University (EBSU). The system uses a PIC16F877A microcontroller to continuously monitor the power factor of connected loads and automatically switch capacitor banks in and out of the circuit to maintain a target power factor close to unity. Zero-crossing detection circuits measure phase displacement between voltage and current waveforms, while relay-switched capacitor stages provide reactive power compensation. The study followed an experimental engineering design methodology, encompassing circuit simulation in Proteus, hardware fabrication, bench testing, and laboratory installation. Measurements were taken before and after system installation over a four-week monitoring period. Results indicate that the average power factor in the target laboratory improved from 0.71 to 0.96 following APFC deployment, corresponding to a 26 percent reduction in apparent power consumption. Equipment heating was noticeably reduced, and voltage stability improved by 8 percent based on RMS measurements. The system cost was estimated at under 30,000 naira. The study concludes that low-cost microcontroller-based APFC systems are practically applicable in Nigerian university laboratory environments and offer measurable energy savings.