Module 3

Series and Parallel Circuits

Engr. Gerard Ang

School of EECE
 Power in AC Circuits
1. Apparent Power (S) – it is the product of the rms values of
voltage and current delivered in an ac circuit. Its unit is the
volt-ampere (VA).
2. Active/Real/True Power (P or W) – it is the component of
apparent power that represents true work done. It is the
power which is actually dissipated in the circuit resistance.
3. Reactive Power (Q) – it is the power developed in the
inductive/capacitive reactance of the circuit. Its unit is the
volt-amperes reactive (VAR). Reactive power is sometimes
called wattless power.
4. Power Factor or Phase Factor (pf) – it is a measure of
the effectiveness of a circuit utilizing the apparent power it
draws from an ac source such as an ac generator. It is the
ratio of the active power to the apparent power.
 Types of Power Factor
1. Unity pf. The voltage and current are in phase.
Examples of unity pf loads: resistive loads such as
incandescent lamps, electric flat irons, water heaters, etc.

2. Lagging pf. The current lags the voltage by an acute

angle θ. Examples of lagging pf loads: inductive loads
such as electric motors, fluorescent lamps, and door bells,
electric fans, television set, air-conditioning unit, etc.
(loads with a winding or a coil on it).

3. Leading pf. The current leads the voltage by an acute

angle θ. Examples of leading pf loads: capacitive loads
such as synchronous motors.
Power Determination in AC Circuits
1. By formula
𝐏𝐏
𝐏=
𝐏=||𝐕𝐕||||𝐈𝐈||𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝐜𝐨𝐬𝛉𝛉
𝐩𝐟 =𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛉=
𝐩𝐟 =𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛉=|𝐒|
|𝐒|
||𝐒𝐒|=|=||𝐕𝐕||||𝐈𝐈||
𝐐
𝐐=
𝐐=||𝐕𝐕||||𝐈𝐈||𝐬𝐢𝐧
𝐬𝐢𝐧𝛉𝛉 𝐫𝐫𝐟𝐟=𝐬𝐢𝐧
=𝐬𝐢𝐧𝛉=
𝐐
𝛉=|𝐒|
|𝐒|
2. By power triangle

||𝐒𝐒||==√√𝐏𝐏𝟐𝟐+𝐐
+𝐐
𝟐𝟐
𝐏=
𝐏=||𝐒𝐒||𝐜𝐨𝐬
𝐜𝐨𝐬𝛉𝛉
S
Q
θ P 𝛉=𝐭𝐚𝐧
−𝟏
𝛉=𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐏
𝐐
−𝟏 𝐐
(( )) 𝐐=
𝐐=||𝐒𝐒||𝐬𝐢𝐧
𝐬𝐢𝐧𝛉𝛉
𝐏
Power Determination in AC Circuits
3. By conjugate method
a. Voltage conjugate method

𝐒=𝐕
𝐒=𝐕 𝐈𝐈
∗
∗ 𝐒=
𝐒=||𝐒𝐒||∠±𝛉
∠±𝛉 Use:
Use:
+θ
+θ  ifif voltage
voltage leads
leads current
current
-θ
-θ  ifif voltage
voltage lags
lags current
current
+jQ  for capacitive
+jQ  for capacitive varsvars
𝐒=𝐏±
𝐒=𝐏± 𝐣𝐐
𝐣𝐐 -jQ  for
-jQ  for inductive
inductive vars
vars

b. Current conjugate method

𝐒=𝐕𝐈
𝐒=𝐕𝐈
∗
∗ 𝐒=
𝐒=||𝐒𝐒||∠∓𝛉
∠∓𝛉
Use:
Use:
-θ
-θ   ifif voltage
voltage leads
leads
current
current
+θ
+θ  ifif voltage
voltage lags
lags current
current
𝐒=𝐏∓
𝐒=𝐏∓𝐣𝐐
𝐣𝐐
-jQ
+jQ
 for capacitive
-jQ  for capacitive vars
 for
+jQ  for inductive
vars
inductive vars
vars
 Impedances in Series

Z1 Z2 Z3 ZN

ZT

𝐍𝐍
𝐙𝐙𝐓𝐓=𝐙
=𝐙𝟏𝟏+𝐙
+𝐙𝟐𝟐+𝐙
+𝐙𝟑𝟑+⋯+𝐙 =∑
+⋯+𝐙𝐍𝐍= ∑ 𝐙𝐙𝐍𝐍 𝐧=𝟏
𝐧=𝟏

Where: ZT = total impedance in series

 Impedances in Parallel

ZT

Z1

Z2

Z3

ZN
𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟏
𝐙𝐙𝐓𝐓=
=𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 =
= 𝐍𝐍
𝟏 + 𝟏 + 𝟏 +⋯ + 𝟏 𝟏
𝐙𝐙𝐍
𝐙𝐙𝟏𝟏 +𝐙𝐙𝟐𝟐 +𝐙𝐙𝟑𝟑 +⋯ +𝐙𝐙𝐍𝐍 𝐧∑∑ 𝐍
𝐧=𝟏
=𝟏

Where: ZT = total impedance in parallel

 Sample Problems
1. In a given R-L circuit, R = 3.5 Ω and L = 0.1 H. Find
(a) the current through the circuit and (b) power factor if
a 50-Hz, 120 volts is applied across the circuit.

2. In the given circuit, applied R X

voltage V is given by (0 + j10) V Z

and the current is (0.8 + j0.6)

I
amperes. Determine the V
values of R and X and also
indicate if X is inductive or AC

capacitive.
 Sample Problems
3. When a voltage of 100 V at 50 Hz is applied to a
choking coil A, the current taken is 8 A and the
power is 120 W. When applied to a coil B, the
current is 10 A and the power is 500 W. What
current and power will be taken when 100 V is
applied to the two coils connected in series?

4. A non-inductive resistance takes 8 A at 100 V.

Calculate the inductance of a choke coil of negligible
resistance to be connected in series in order that this
load may be supplied from 220-V, 50 Hz mains.
What will be the phase angle between the supply
voltage and current?
 Sample Problems
5. A current of 5 A flows through a non-inductive
resistance in series with a choking coil when supplied at
250-V, 50 Hz. If the voltage across the resistance is
125 V and across the coil 200 V, calculate: (a)
impedance, reactance and resistance of the coil (b) the
power absorbed by the coil and (c) the total power.
Draw the vector diagram.

6. Two coils A and B are connected in series across a

240-V, 50-Hz supply. The resistance of A is 5 Ω and
the inductance of B is 0.015 H. If the input from the
supply is 3 kW and 2 kVAR, find the inductance of A
and the resistance of B. Calculate the voltage across
each coil.
7

Sample Problems
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 Sample Problems
9. Two impedances Z1 and Z2 when
connected separately across a 230-V, 50-Hz
supply consumed 100 W and 60 W at 25 V R
power factors of 0.5 lagging and 0.6
leading respectively. If these impedances
are now connected in series across the
same supply. Find: (a) total power absorbed 50 V RL
and overall p.f. (b) the value of the
impedance to be added in series to raise the VS
overall p.f. to unity. 40 V
10. A non-inductive resistor is connected in L
series with a coil and a capacitor. The circuit
is connected to a single-phase a.c. supply. If
the voltages are as indicated in the given
figure when current flowing through the circuit 55 V
is 0.345 A, find the applied voltage and the C
power loss in coil.
 Sample Problems
11. In an alternating circuit, the impressed voltage is given
by V = 100 – j50 volts and the current in the circuit is I
= 3 – j4 A. Determine the real and reactive power in
the circuit.
12. In the diagram below, the voltage across Z 1 is (10 +
j10) volts. Find out (a) the current in the circuit (b) the
voltage drops across Z2 and Z3 (c) voltage of the
generator.
V1=(10+j10) V2 V3

Z1 Z2 Z3

3 + j4 Ω 2 + j3.46 Ω 1 – j7.46 Ω

I
 Admittance Function
1. Admittance (Y) – it is the reciprocal of impedance.

𝟏
𝟏 𝐈𝐈
𝐘
𝐘== 𝐘=
𝐘=𝐕
𝐙
𝐙 𝐕
Where:
𝐘=
𝐘=||𝐘𝐘||∠∓𝛉
∠∓𝛉 |Y| = magnitude of admittance in siemens
θ = phase difference between voltage and current
G = conductance of the circuit in siemens

𝐘=𝐆∓
𝐘=𝐆∓𝐣𝐁𝐣𝐁
B = susceptance of the circuit in siemens

Use: -θ  if voltage lags current

+θ  if voltage leads current
+jB  for capacitive susceptance
-jB  for inductive
susceptance
 Admittance Function

𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐
||𝐘𝐘||==√ 𝐆𝐆 +(𝐁
+(𝐁𝐋𝐋−𝐁
−𝐁𝐂𝐂))
|Y|
B 𝐁
𝐁𝐋𝐋−−𝐁𝐁𝐂𝐂

G
𝛉=𝐭𝐚𝐧
𝛉=𝐭𝐚𝐧
−𝟏
((
−𝟏
𝐆𝐆
))
θ
Admittance Triangle
 Admittance Function
2. Conductance (G) – it is the reciprocal of resistance.

𝟏𝟏  For a pure resistance

𝐆=
𝐆=𝐑 branch or circuit
𝐑
3. Susceptance (B) – it is the reciprocal of reactance.

𝟏𝟏
𝐁=
𝐁=𝐗  For a pure
reactive branch or
𝐗 circuit
 Admittance Function
Consider the circuit below.

RL RC 𝐘𝐘𝐂𝐂=𝐆
=𝐆𝐂𝐂+𝐣𝐁
+𝐣𝐁𝐂𝐂
YL YC
XL XC
𝐘𝐘𝐋𝐋=𝐆
=𝐆𝐋𝐋−−𝐣𝐁
𝐣𝐁𝐋𝐋
Where:
GL = conductance of the R-L branch of the circuit
GC = conductance of the R-C branch of the circuit
BL = inductive susceptance of the R-L branch
BC = capacitive susceptance of the R-C branch
 Admittance Function
For the R-L branch of the given circuit,

𝐑
𝐑𝐋𝐋 𝐗𝐗𝐋
𝐆 =
𝐆𝐋𝐋= 𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐
𝐁 = 𝟐𝟐 𝐋 𝟐𝟐
𝐁𝐋𝐋=
𝐑 + 𝐗
𝐑𝐋 + 𝐗𝐋 𝐑
𝐑𝐋 ++𝐗𝐗𝐋
𝐋 𝐋 𝐋 𝐋

For the R-C branch of the given circuit,

𝐑
𝐑𝐂𝐂 𝐗𝐗𝐂
𝐆 =
𝐆𝐂𝐂= 𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐 𝐁
𝐁𝐂𝐂=
= 𝟐𝟐
𝐂
𝟐𝟐
𝐑 + 𝐗
𝐑𝐂 + 𝐗𝐂 𝐑 + 𝐗
𝐑𝐂 + 𝐗𝐂
𝐂 𝐂 𝐂 𝐂
 Admittances in Series
Y1 Y2 Y3 YN

YT

𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟏
𝐘𝐘𝐓𝐓=
=𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 =
= 𝐍𝐍
𝟏 + 𝟏 + 𝟏 +⋯+ 𝟏𝟏
𝐘𝐘𝟏𝟏 +𝐘𝐘𝟐𝟐 +𝐘𝐘𝟑𝟑 +⋯+𝐘𝐘𝐍𝐍 𝐧∑
∑ 𝐘𝐘𝐍
𝐍
=𝟏
𝐧 =𝟏

Where: YT = total admittance in series

Admittances in Parallel

Y1

Y2

Y3
YT

YN
𝐍𝐍
𝐘𝐘𝐓𝐓=𝐘 +𝐘𝟐𝟐++𝐘𝐘𝟑𝟑+⋯+𝐘
=𝐘𝟏𝟏+𝐘 ∑ 𝐘𝐘𝐍𝐍
+⋯+𝐘𝐍𝐍==∑
𝐧=𝟏
𝐧=𝟏

Where: YT = total admittance in parallel

 Sample Problems
1. Two circuits, the impedances of which are given by Z1 = 10 + j15
and Z2 = 6 – j8 ohm are connected in parallel. If the total current
supplied is 15 A, what is the power taken by each branch? Find also
the individual p.f. of individual circuits and of combination. Draw
vector diagram.

2. Refer to the given circuit and

determine the resistance and 5.6 A 2A 4.5 A
reactance of the lagging coil
load and the power factor of 300 V Z
the combination when the
currents are indicated.
 Sample Problems
3. A total current of 10 A flows through the parallel combination
of three impedances: (2 – j5) Ω, (6 + j3) Ω and (3 + j4) Ω.
Calculate the current flowing through each branch. Find also
the p.f. of the combination.
4. A 15-mH inductor is in series with a parallel combination of
an 80 Ω resistor and a 20 μF capacitor. If the angular
frequency of the applied voltage is ω = 1000 rad/s, find the
admittance of the network.
5. An impedance (6 + j8) Ω is connected across 200-V, 50-Hz
mains in parallel with another circuit having an impedance of
(8 – j6) Ω. Calculate (a) the admittance, the conductance, the
susceptance of the combined circuit (b) the total current
taken from the mains and its p.f.
 Sample Problems
A
6. If the voltmeter in the I2
given figure reads 60 V, find 6Ω 4Ω V
the reading of the V I1
ammeter.
j3 Ω -j4 Ω

7. The total effective current

drawn by parallel
circuit of the figure below is 6Ω -j8 Ω

20 A. Calculate (a) VA (b) 20 A

VAR and (c) watts drawn by
10 Ω
the circuit.