FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

EEL3112L Laboratory Number 9

AC Power

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Laboratory Number 9
AC Power
Outline
9.1 Theoretical background
9.2 Preliminary lab assignments
a Reading
(b) Pre-lab exercises
9.3 Experiment
(a) Parts and equipment
(b) Procedure and post-lab exercises
9.4 Lab reports
Objective
In this experiment, the key concepts of AC power are examined. The essential techniques are
utilized to study an AC power system of simple configuration. The objective is to facilitate the
students learn the following basic ideas:
Instantaneous power versus average power
Power triangle: complex power is the sum of real power and reactive power
Power factor
Maximization of real power supplied by the source
Maximization of real power absorbed by the load
The dual process of running simulations in the NI Multisim and making measurements of simple
AC power systems on the NI ELVIS II benchtop workstation is adopted. The following exercises
are conducted in this lab to achieve the objective:
1. Pre-lab exercises
Multisim simulations results are used to:
Measure transmission line impedance with known load
Maximize real power supplied by the source via power factor correction
Maximize real power absorbed by the load via power factor correction
2. In-lab exercises
The techniques implemented in the pre-lab exercises are applied to basic power transmission
systems modeled on the NI ELVIS prototyping board.
3. Post-lab exercises
Examine the agreement or disagreement between experimental and theoretical results.
Identify the possible causes of disagreement between experiment and theory.

9-1

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

9.1 Theoretical Background

AC power is omnipresent in virtually every aspect of the modern-day life. Engineers of all
disciplines are exposed to AC power systems throughout their careers. In this experiment, the
basic elements as well as concepts essential for the analysis of AC power systems are examined.
Simple models of power transmission systems are used to illustrate these elements and concepts.
(a) Basic Power Transmission System
A very basic circuit model of a power transmission system is depicted in Figure 9-1. It consists
of three sections:
Transmission line
The transmission line is the physical waveguide structure that supports the propagation of
electromagnetic energy from the source to the load. In the most basic circuit form, a
transmission line is modeled as a two-terminal circuit with impedance Z Line . The source
injects an AC signal into the input terminal at the sending end of the line, whereas the load
connected to the output terminal at the receiving end of the line absorbs the signal power.
Source: Thevenin equivalent circuit
The source generates an AC signal to be sent to the load through the transmission line. It is
typically modeled by a Thevenin equivalent circuit containing an AC source VT ( j ) with
internal impedance ZT at frequency .
Load
The load at the receiving end absorbs the signal power delivered through the transmission
line by the source at the sending end. The load is typically modeled as a passive circuit with
terminal voltage VL ( j ) , current I L ( j ) , and impedance Z L at frequency .

Figure 9-1: Circuit representing a basic power transmission system

9-2

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

In practice, the electrical characteristics of the transmission line are known. One may then further
simplify the Thevenin equivalent circuit at the sending end to a single effective source Vs ( j )
as shown in Figure 9-2. Clearly, the effective voltage source Vs ( j ) depends on the parameters
of the Thevenin equivalent circuit and the electrical properties of the transmission line. This
simplified power transmission system will be the focus of AC power analysis for both pre-lab
exercises as well as in-lab experiments.

Figure 9-2: Simplified power transmission system

(b) Measures of AC Power
Without any loss of generality, it is sufficient to consider various measures of power absorbed by
the load at the receiving end of the transmission line of a simple AC power system shown in
Figure 9-1.
Let v L (t ) and i L (t ) be the instantaneous terminal voltage and terminal current of the load,
respectively. The corresponding phasor load voltage and phasor load current are denoted by
VL ( j ) and I L ( j ) . These voltages and currents can be expressed as follows:
v L (t ) V L cos (t v ) V L cos [ (t t v ) ] VL ( j ) V L e j v
i L (t ) I L cos(t i ) I L cos [ (t t i ) ] I L ( j ) I L e j i

V ( j )
where t v v , t i i , Z L ( j ) L
R L ( j ) jX L( j )
I L ( j )

(9-1)

In equation (9-1), the parameters v and i denote the phase shifts of the load voltage and load
current, respectively. The corresponding time delays are denoted by the parameters t v and t i .
One may recall that RL ( j ) is the AC resistance and X L ( j ) is the reactance of the load at
frequency .

9-3

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Instantaneous Power
The instantaneous power p L (t ) absorbed by the load is defined as the voltage-current product in
the time domain:

p L (t ) v L (t ) i L (t ) V L I L cos(t v ) cos(t i )
V I
V I
L L cos( ) L L cos(2t v i )
2
2
where i v

watts (W)

(9-2)

One may recognize from equation (9-2) that p L (t ) consists of a DC (constant) component and
an AC (sinusoidal) component. Further, the phase angle is the difference in the phase shifts
between v L (t ) and i L (t ) . It signifies a time delay t / between the successive peaks of the
load voltage v L (t ) and the load current i L (t ) .
Average Power
The average power Pav absorbed by the load is obtained by computing the average value of the
instantaneous power pL (t ) over a given time period (0, T) as follows:
1
Pav
T

V I
p L (t ) dt L L
2T

[ cos( ) cos(2t v i ) ] dt

(9-3)

V I
V
I
L L cos( ) L L cos( ) V L (rms) I L (rms) cos( )
2
2
2

watts (W)

The terms VL(rms) and I L(rms) denote the root-mean-square values of the load voltage and load
current, respectively.
Power Factor
The term cos ( ) is referred to as the power factor, which assumes only non-negative values in
the range 0 cos ( ) 1 . It indicates the degree of time synchronization between the load voltage
and load current. When the load voltage and current are perfectly synchronized in time, their
phase difference is 0 . Hence, the power factor is 1. Conversely, if the load voltage and
current are out of phase with phase difference 90 , then the power factor is 0.

9-4

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Complex Power
The notion of complex power S is introduced to provide a measure of AC power absorbed by the
load in the frequency domain. It is defined in terms of the phasor load voltage VL ( j ) and load
phasor current I L ( j ) as follows:
S

1
VL ( j ) I L ( j ) VL (rms) ( j ) I L (rms) ( j )
2

(9-4)

Since the phasor load voltage and current are related by VL ( j ) Z L I L ( j ) , one may readily
deduce the following:

V ( j ) 1 2 R L jX L
1
VL
V L ( j ) L
R2 X 2
2
2
Z L
L
L

(9-5)

1
1
Z L I L ( j ) I L ( j ) I L2 ( R L jX L )
2
2

Furthermore, one may also observe that

V I
V I
1
S V L e j v I L e j i L L e j ( i v ) L L e j
2
2
2
V I
V I
L L cos j L L sin V L (rms) I L (rms) cos jV L(rms) I L(rms) sin
2
2
P jQ

(9-6)

Real Power P
The real part of the complex power is called the real power. It is evident from equation (9-5) the
real power is actually the average power absorbed by the load, namely
V I
P Re { S} L L cos V L(rms) I L (rms) cos Pav
2
I L2
V 2 RL

L
RL
2
2

2 R L X L 2

watts (W)

(9-7)

Reactive Power Q
The imaginary part of the complex power is called the reactive power, namely
V I
Q Im { S} L L sin V L(rms) I L (rms) sin
2
2
V L X L I L2

XL
2 R L2 X L2 2

9-5

(VAR)

(9-8)

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

The units of the reactive power Q are volt-amperes reactive (VAR). The reactive power performs
no real work but simply provides a measure of the energy stored in the load capacitors and load
inductors. Its time-average value is identically zero because of the periodic excahnge of stored
energy between the load and the source.
Power Triangle
The complex power S P jQ can be represented geometrically by the power triangle depicted
in Figure 9-3 below. The relationships among S, P, and Q are characterized by the power factor
cos .

Figure 9-3: Power traingle associated with complex power S

The magnitude of complex power S is called the apparent power with units in volt-amperes
(VA), namely
S

P2 Q2

(9-9)

(VA)

The real (average) power P is the projection of the complex power S onto the real axis and is
related to the power factor as follows:
P S cos

P 2 Q 2 cos

(W)

(9-10)

The reactive power Q is the projection of the complex power S onto the imaginary axis and is
given by
Q S sin

P 2 Q 2 sin

(VAR)

9-6

(9-11)

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

For an inductive load, the current lags the voltage resulting in 0 . Hence, the reactive power
is positive, namely QL S sin 0 . Conversely, for a capacitive load, the current leads the
voltage resulting in 0 . Thus, the reactive power QC S sin is negative.
(c) Power Factor Correction
A given load manifests its ability to absorb real power at a given frequency in the power factor.
It is therefore imperative to understand how the load can be adjusted so as to improve the power
factor. The central purpose of power factor correction is to introduce a compensating reactance
to the load so as to make the power factor closest to 1, thereby maximizing the amount of real
power delivered to the load.
To understand how the power factor can be affected by adjusting the load, the AC power
tranmission system shown on Figure 9-2 is considered. It should be noticed that the load voltage
and current at frequency can be expressed as follows:
V L ( j )

ZL
1
Vs ( j ) , I L ( j )
Vs ( j )
Z line Z L
Z line Z L

where VL ( j ) V L e j L , Vs ( j ) Vs e j s

(9-12)

Z L R L jX L Z L e j L , Z line Rline jX line Z line e j line

Line Impedance
A point of interest should be noted upon examining equation (9-12). One may recognize that

V
V L ( j ) V L
ZL

exp [ j ( L s ) ] L exp ( j t )
Vs
Vs ( j ) Vs
Z line Z L
L
where t t L t s s

(9-13)

It is follows directly from equation (9-13) that

Z line ( j ) Rline jX line ( j ) Z L s exp ( j t ) 1

VL

(9-14)

If the load impedance Z L ( j ) is known, the transmission line impedance Z line at frequency
can be determined by measuring the time delay of the load voltage with respect to the source
voltage, namely

L
t t L t s s

(9-15)

9-7

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Compensating Reactance
The complex power delivered to the load is given by
Vs2
1

Z L e j L S e j L
S ( j ) V L ( j ) I L ( j )
2
2
2 Z line Z L
S cos L j S sin L P( j ) jQ ( j )
where

ZL

R L2

X L2

, L tan

XL
R
L

(9-16)

Vs2
2 Z line Z L

ZL

The following observations can be made upon examining equation (9-16):

The phase angle L of the load impedance Z L determines the power factor cos L .
To make the power factor 1, namely L 0 , the load should be compensated such that its
effective reactance is zero: X L 0

Z L RL with X L 0
Resistive Load:
When the load is purely resistive, the load voltage and load current are always in phase. Hence,
the power factor at the load is identically 1. In this situation, one elects to correct the power
factor at the source so as to maximize the real power supplied by the source. This can be
achieved by adding a compensating reactance X C ( j ) to the load via series connection as
depicted in Figure 9-4. Specifically, the compensating reactance X C ( j ) should be chosen to
annihilate the reactance due to the transmission line, namely
X C ( j ) X line ( j )

(9-17)

For an inductive line X line ( j ) 0 , a capacitor should be used for correction. For a capacitive
line X line ( j ) 0 , an inductor should be used for correction. The power transmission system as
a whole effectively becomes a resonant circuit after the load is compensated.

Figure 9-4: When the load is purely resistive ( RL ), the power factor at the source can be
maximized by adding a compensating reactance ( X C ) to the load via series connection.

9-8

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Arbitrary Load: Z L RL jX L
When the load is arbitrary, its reactance can be either positive or negative. In this case, one elects
to maximize the power factor at the load. This can be achieved by introducing a compensating
reactance X C ( j ) to the load via parallel connection as depicted in Figure 9-5. Specifically, the
compensating reactance X C ( j ) should be chosen to cancel out the reactance due to the load in
the manner analyzed below:
1
1

Im
Z L jX C

1
1
Im
j
XC

R L jX L

XC

RL2 X L2
XL

(9-18)

For an inductive load X L ( j ) 0 , a capacitor should be used for correction. In the case of a
capacitive load with X L ( j ) 0 , an inductor should then be used for correction.

Figure 9-5: For an arbitrary load with impedance Z L RL jX L , the power factor can be
maximized by adding a compensating reactance ( X C ) to the load via parallel connection.
Important
Many common loads in practice consist of motors; and they are predominantly inductive. Hence,
power factor correction is always achieved by connecting a capacitor in parallel with the load.
The required capacitance at a given frequency must satisfy the last equality in equation (9-18).

9-9

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

9.2 Preliminary Lab Assignments

(a) Reading
EEL3112L lab user guide: Bing W. Kwan, NI Multisim and ELVIS II An Introductory
Guide
Textbook
Irwin & Nelms, Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis, 9th Edition or 10th Edition
Reference
Giorgio Rizzoni, Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering, 5th Edition
(b) Pre-lab Exercises
Exercise 9-1: Measurement of transmission line impedance
Consider the circuit model of an AC power transmission system shown in Figure 9-6. The load
has a resistance RL 100 . The line impedance is comprised of a 10 resistor in series with a
2.2mH inductor.

Figure 9-6: Measurement of transmission line impedance

E1.1 Capture circuit model of the AC power transmission system in Multisim, including the
placement of an AC voltage source and the oscilloscope. Include a captured image of the
schematic in the lab report.
E1.2 Set the AC voltage source v s (t ) at 1.5 kHz with 10 V peak amplitude, and 0 phase angle.
E1.3 Run the simulation. Adjust the settings of the oscilloscope so that the voltage waveforms
are clearly shown. Use the cursors to measure the source voltage peak amplitude Vm , the
load voltage peak amplitude VL , and the time delay t of the load voltage with respect to
the source voltage. Record the measured results in Table 9-1. Capture an image of the
oscilloscope display to be included in the lab report.

9-10

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

E1.4 Calculate the transmission line impedance Z line ( j ) . Show the calculation steps and enter
the result in Table 9-1.
E1.5 Repeat Part E1.2 through Part E1.4 at frequency 4.5 kHz.
Table 9-1: Measurement of transmission line impedance
Frequency
(Hz)

Vm (V)

VL (V)

Time Delay
t (s)

Measured
Z line ()

Calculated
Z line ()

1500
4500

9-11

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Exercise 9-2: Maximization of real power supplied by the source

Consider the circuit model of an AC power transmission system shown in Figure 9-6 again with
the load resistance changed to RL 8 .
E2.1 Capture the circuit model of the AC power transmission system in Multisim, including the
placement of an AC voltage source and the oscilloscope. Include a captured image of the
schematic in the lab report.
E2.2 Set the AC voltage source v s (t ) at 1.5 kHz with 10 V peak amplitude, and 0 phase angle.
E2.3 Make use of the line impedance Z line ( j ) measured in Exercise 9-1 to calculate the
apparent power, power factor, real power, and reactive power supplied by the voltage
source. Show the calculation steps and enter the results in Table 9-2.
E2.4 Determine the capacitance C of the compensating capacitor. Enter the result in Table 9-3.
E2.5 Place the compensating capacitor between the transmission line impedance and the load
resistor.
E2.6 Start the simulation. Adjust the settings of the oscilloscope so that the voltage waveforms
are clearly shown. Use the cursors to measure the source voltage peak amplitude Vm , the
load voltage peak amplitude VL , and the time delay t of the load voltage with respect to
the source voltage. Record the measured results in Table 9-3. Obtain a captured image of
the oscilloscope display to be included in the lab report.
E2.7 Determine the transmission line impedance Z line ( j ) , including the reactance of the
compensating capacitor. Show the calculation steps and enter the result in Table 9-3.
E2.8 Calculate the power factor at the voltage source after the correction. Show the calculation
steps and enter the result in Table 9-3.
E2.9 Repeat Part E2.2 through Part E2.8 at frequency 4.5 kHz.
Table 9-2: Complex power supplied by the source before correction
Frequency
(Hz)

Measured
Z line ()

Apparent
Power

Power
Factor

Real/Average
Power

Reactive
Power

1500
4500

Table 9-3: AC power supplied by the source after correction

Frequency
(Hz)

Vm (V)

VL (V)

Time Delay
t (s)

Comp. Cap.
C (F)

Measured
Z line ()

PF after
Correction

1500
4500

9-12

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Exercise 9-3: Maximization of real power absorbed by the load

Consider the circuit model of an AC power transmission system shown in Figure 9-6 again. Now
the load consists of a 3.3mH inductor connected in series with an 8 resistor.
E3.1 Capture circuit model of the AC power transmission system in Multisim, including the
placement of an AC voltage source and the oscilloscope. Include a captured image of the
schematic in the lab report.
E3.2 Set the AC voltage source v s (t ) at 1.5 kHz with 10 V peak amplitude, and 0 phase angle.
E3.3 Make use of the line impedance Z line ( j ) measured in Exercise 9-1 to calculate the
apparent power, power factor, real power, and reactive power absorbed by the load. Show
the calculation steps and enter the results in Table 9-4.
E3.4 Determine the capacitance C of the compensating capacitor. Enter the result in Table 9-5.
E3.5 Place the compensating capacitor and connect it in parallel with the load.
E3.6 Start the simulation. Adjust the settings of the oscilloscope so that the voltage waveforms
are clearly shown. Use the cursors to measure the source voltage peak amplitude Vm , the
load voltage peak amplitude VL , and the time delay t of the load voltage with respect to
the source voltage. Record the measured results in Table 9-5. Obtain a captured image of
the oscilloscope display to be included in the lab report.
E3.7 Determine the effective impedance of the load in parallel with the compensating capacitor,
namely Z L // Z C . Show the calculation steps and enter the result in Table 9-5.
E3.8 Calculate the power factor at the load after the correction. Show the calculation steps and
enter the result in Table 9-5.
E3.9 Repeat Part E3.2 through Part E3.8 at frequency 4.5 kHz.
Table 9-4: Complex power absorbed by the load before correction
Frequency
(Hz)

Measured
Z line ()

Apparent
Power

Power
Factor

Real/Average
Power

Reactive
Power

1500
4500

Table 9-5: AC power absorbed by the load after correction

Frequency
(Hz)

Vm (V)

VL (V)

Time Delay
t (s)

Comp. Cap.
C (F)

Z L // Z C
()

PF after
Correction

1500
4500

9-13

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

9.3 Experiment
(a) Parts and Equipment
NI Elvis II benchtop workstation
NI Elvis II digital multimeter (DMM) soft front panel (SFP)
NI Elvis II oscilloscope (Scope) soft front panel (SFP)
NI Elvis II function generator (FGEN) soft front panel (SFP)
Resistors, inductors, and capacitors of various values
(b) Initialization of ELVIS II
Complete the following steps to initialize the ELVIS II workstation before performing the
experiments described afterwards.
1. Turn the power on by flipping the switch on the back side at the right-hand corner of the NI
ELVIS II workstation. The orange USB READY light should now be on.
2. Caution: The power to the prototyping board (PB) should remain off (no green POWER
light).
3. Launch the virtual instrument interface by applying the click-command sequence:
>>Start>>AllProgramsFiles>>NationalInstruments>>NIELVISmx>>
NIELVISInstrumentLauncher

Note: One needs to ensure that the manual mode is turned off on the workstation so that the
functions on the SFP are not disabled.
Attention: After completing Lab #1 through Lab #3, it is assumed that the students have gained
sufficient familiarity with the usage and proper operations of various elements of the NI ELVIS
II workstation. The experiment procedure for the current and future labs will be streamlined by
outlining the key steps instead of providing the detailed step-by-step instructions as in Lab #1
through Lab #3. The students are cautioned to practice safety measures as instructed. In
particular, they should adhere to the following rules:
1. Always bring the NI and ELVIS II user guide to the lab session.
2. Before a circuit component is inserted onto or removed from the prototyping board (PB),
ensure that the power supply to the PB has been switched off. Notice that the system power
of the ELVIS II workstation should be switched on. The switch is located at the back of the
workstation.

9-14

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

(c) Procedure and Post-lab Exercises

The lab TA will provide you with 1 resistor and 2 inductors needed to conduct the experiments
in this lab. R0 is given as 180 ohms. RL and Rline are the parasitic resistances associated with
the inductors LL = 10mH and Lline = 100mH respectively.

Part A: Preliminary procedure

1. Click on the DMM button in the instruments toolbar to open its SFP.
2. Adjust the DMM settings properly to measure the resistance and inductance of the components
provided and record their values into Table 9-6.

3. Use the impedance analyzer to measure the internal resistance of the the inductors provided
at the given fequecies. This is the real part of the impedance. Enter their value into Table
9-6
.

Table 9-6: Measured values of circuit components

Circuit Component

Measured Value

Resistor R0
Inductor L L

Internal resistance RL @1.5 kHz =

Inductance =

Internal resistance RL @4.5 kHz =

Inductor Lline

Internal resistance RLine @1.5 kHz =

Inductance =

Internal resistance RLine @4.5 kHz =

Caution: The power to the prototyping board (PB) should be turned off after making each
measurement. In particular, it should be OFF before embarking on the following experiments.

9-15

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Part B: Measurement of transmission line impedance

1. Use the resistor R0 , and inductor ( Lline ) provided to build the AC power
transmission model shown in Figure 9-7 on the prototyping board, including the wire
connections for the use of the function generator (FGEN) SFP and the oscilloscope (Scope)
SFP. Note RLine is the parasitic internal resistance of the inductor LLine.

Figure 9-7: Measurement of transmission line impedance on prototyping board

2. Switch on the prototyping board.
3. Open the FGEN SFP and set it to generate a 1.5 kHz sine wave with 10V amplitude and 0V
DC offset. Start running.
4. Open the Scope SFP. Adjust its settings so that the source voltage v s (t ) and load voltage

v L (t ) waveforms are clearly shown. Use the cursors to measure the source voltage peak
amplitude Vm , the load voltage peak amplitude VL , and the time delay t of the load voltage
with respect to the source voltage. Record the measured results in Table 9-7. Obtain a
captured image of the oscilloscope display to be included in the lab report.
5. Determine the transmission line impedance Z line ( j ) . Show the calculation steps and enter
the result in Table 9-7.
6. Repeat Step 3 through Step 5 at frequency 4.5 kHz.
7. Switch off the prototyping board.

9-16

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Table 9-7: Measurement of transmission line impedance on prototyping board

Frequency
(Hz)

Vm (V)

VL (V)

Time Delay
t (s)

Measured
Z line ()

Calculated
Z line ()

1500
4500

Post-lab Exercises for Part B

B1. Discuss the agreement or disagreement of the calculated values with the measured values of
Z line at both 1.5 kHz and 4.5 kHz. Explain the possible sources of errors.

9-17

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Part C: Maximization of real power supplied by the source

1. Retain the circuit already built on the prototyping board in Part B.
2. Make use of the line impedance Z line ( j ) measured in Part B to calculate the apparent
power, power factor, real power, and reactive power supplied by the voltage source. Show
the calculation steps and enter the results in Table 9-8.
3. Set the FGEN SFP to generate a 1.5 kHz sine wave with 10V amplitude and 0V DC offset.
4. Determine the capacitance C of the compensating capacitor. Enter the result in Table 9-9.
5. Place the compensating capacitor with capacitance closest to C between the transmission line
impedance Zline ( j ) and the resistor Ro .
6. Switch on the prototyping board.
7. Start running the function generator. Adjust the Scope SFP settings so that the source voltage
v s (t ) and load voltage v L (t ) waveforms are clearly shown. Use the cursors to measure the
source voltage peak amplitude Vm , the load voltage peak amplitude VL , and the time delay
t of the load voltage with respect to the source voltage. Record the measured results in
Table 9-9. Obtain a captured image of the oscilloscope display to be included in the lab
report.
8. Determine the effective transmission line impedance Z line ( j ) , including the reactance of
the compensating capacitor. Show the calculation steps and enter the result in Table 9-8.
9. Calculate the power factor at the voltage source after the correction. Show the calculation
steps and enter the result in Table 9-9.
10. Repeat Step 3 through Step 9 at frequency 4.5 kHz.
11. Switch off the prototyping board.
Table 9-8: Complex power supplied by the source on prototyping board before correction
Frequency
(Hz)

Measured
Z line ()

Apparent
Power

Power
Factor

Real/Average
Power

Reactive
Power

1500
4500
Table 9-9: AC power supplied by the source on prototyping board after correction
Frequency
(Hz)

Vm (V)

VL (V)

Time Delay
t (s)

Comp. Cap.
C (F)

Measured
Z line ()

PF after
Correction

1500
4500
Post-lab Exercises for Part C
C1. Discuss the agreement or disagreement of the power factor before and after the correction at
both 1.5 kHz and 4.5 kHz. Explain the possible sources of errors.

9-18

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

Part D: Maximization of real power absorbed by the load

1. Retain the circuit already built on the prototyping board in Part C but add and connect the
inductor LL in series with the resistor Ro as shown in Figure 9-8.

Figure 9-8: Maximization of real power absorbed by the load on prototyping board
2. Make use of the line impedance Z line ( j ) measured in Part B to calculate the apparent
power, power factor, real power, and reactive power absorbed by the load. Show the
calculation steps and enter the results in Table 9-10.
3. Set the FGEN SFP to generate a 1.5 kHz sine wave with 10V amplitude and 0V DC offset.
4. Determine the capacitance C of the compensating capacitor. Enter the result in Table 9-11.
5. Place the compensating capacitor with capacitance closest to C and connect it in parallel
with the inductor and resistor RO.
6. Switch on the prototyping board.
7. Start running the function generator. Adjust the Scope SFP settings so that the source voltage
v s (t ) and load voltage v L (t ) waveforms are clearly shown. Use the cursors to measure the
source voltage peak amplitude Vm , the load voltage peak amplitude VL , and the time delay
t of the load voltage with respect to the source voltage. Record the measured results in
Table 9-11. Obtain a captured image of the oscilloscope display to be included in the lab
report.

9-19

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

8. Determine the effective impedance of the load in parallel with the compensating capacitor,
namely Z L // Z C . Show the calculation steps and enter the result in Table 9-11.
9. Calculate the power factor at the load after the correction. Show the calculation steps and
enter the result in Table 9-11.
10. Repeat Step 3 through Step 9 at frequency 4.5 kHz.
11. Switch off the prototyping board.
Table 9-10: Complex power absorbed by the load on prototyping board before correction
Frequency
(Hz)

Measured
Z line ()

Apparent
Power

Power
Factor

Real/Average
Power

Reactive
Power

1500
4500

Table 9-11: AC power absorbed by the load on prototyping board after correction
Frequency
(Hz)

Vm (V)

VL (V)

Time Delay
t (s)

Comp. Cap.
C (F)

Z L // Z C
()

PF after
Correction

1500
4500

Post-lab Exercises for Part D

D1. Discuss the agreement or disagreement of the power factor before and after the correction at
both 1.5 kHz and 4.5 kHz. Explain the possible sources of errors.

9-20

Lab #9

EEL3112L

Advanced Circuits with Computers Lab

9.4 Lab Reports

Part 1: Pre-lab Exercises
For each exercise (namely Exercise 9.1 through Exercise 9.3), the key elements to be included in
the report are: (i) the circuit schematics; (ii) the results derived from simulation data in the form
of tables, plots, or captured images of relevant screen displays; (iii) answers to the questions (if
applicable); (iv) brief conclusion.
Part 2: Experiment
The report should provide a brief discussion of the following topics:
1. Overview
(a) Objective
(b) Equipment
(c) Summary of experiment procedure
2. Analysis
(a) Instantaneous power versus average power
(b) Complex power: sum of real power and reactive power
(c) Power triangle: a geometrical representation of complex power
(d) Power factor
(e) Maximization of real power supplied by the source
(f) Maximization of real power absorbed by the load
3. Experimental evidence
(a) Relevant circuit schematics
(b) Measurement data, including tables, plots, or captured images of relevant screen displays
(c) Results derived from measurement data, including tables and plots
(d) Document answers to all the post-lab exercises, including calculations with logical steps if
applicable
4. Conclusion
A brief statement on what you have learned from this lab

9-21

Lab #9