POWER IN AC CIRCUITS

EE – 420 Basic Electrical and Electronics Engineering

POWER IN AC CIRCUITS
Three Types of Power in an AC Circuit
• Active Power
• Reactive Power
• Apparent Power
 REAL POWER
Real power, also known as true or active power, performs the “real work”
within an electrical circuit. Real power, measured in watts, defines the power
consumed by the resistive part of a circuit. Then real power, P in an AC circuit is
the same as power in a DC circuit.
As resistances do not produce any phasor difference (phase shift) between
voltage and current waveforms, all the useful power is delivered directly to the
resistance and converted to heat, light and work. Then the power consumed by a
resistance is real power which is fundamentally the circuit average power.
 REAL POWER

Where:
𝑃 = Real Power (measured in watts (W))
𝑉 = RMS Voltage (Root Mean Square voltage, in volts),
𝐼 = RMS Current (Root Mean Square current, in amperes),
cos⁡𝜃 = Power Factor (the cosine of the phase angle between voltage and current).
 REAL POWER
Example:

Imagine a circuit with: RMS Voltage (𝑉) = 230 V,RMS Current (𝐼) = 5 A, Power
Factor (cos⁡
𝜃) = 0.8.

P = I*V* cos⁡
𝜃
P = 230 *5*0.8
P = 920W
 REACTIVE POWER
Reactive power, sometimes called wattles power, is the power consumed in
an AC circuit that does not perform any useful work but has a big effect on the
phase shift between the voltage and current waveforms. It is linked to the
reactance produced by inductors and capacitors and counteracts the effects of real
power.
Unlike real power which does all the work, reactive power takes power
away from a circuit due to the creation and reduction of both inductive magnetic
fields and capacitive electrostatic fields, thereby making it harder for the true
power to supply power directly to a circuit or load.
 REACTIVE POWER

Where:
𝑄 = Reactive Power (in VAR)
𝑉 = RMS Voltage
𝐼 = RMS Current
sin⁡
𝜃 = Sine of the phase angle between voltage and current.
 REACTIVE POWER
Example:

Suppose an AC circuit has:RMS Voltage (𝑉) = 230 V,RMS Current (𝐼) = 5 A, Phase
Angle (𝜃) = 60°..

Q = I*V* sin⁡
𝜃
Q = 230 *5*sin60
Q = 995VAR
 APPARENT POWER
Apparent Power, S
There is a mathematical relationship between the real power (P), and the reactive
power (Q), which is called the complex power. The product of the rms voltage applied to
an AC circuit and the rms current flowing into that circuit is called the “volt-ampere
product” (VA) given the symbol S and the magnitude is known generally as apparent
power.
This complex power is not equal to the algebraic sum of the real and reactive powers
added together, but is instead the vector sum of P and Q given in volt-amps (VA). It is the
complex power that is represented by the power triangle. The rms value of the volt-
ampere product is known more commonly as the apparent power as, apparently this is the
total power consumed by a circuit even though the real power that does the work is a lot
less.
 APPARENT POWER
Where:
𝑆 = Apparent Power (measured in volt-amperes (VA))
𝑉 = RMS Voltage (in volts)
𝐼 = RMS Current (in amperes).
 POWER TRIANGLE
The power triangle is a visual representation of the relationship between
the three types of power in an AC circuit: real power (P), reactive power
(Q), and apparent power (S)
 POWER FACTOR
Power factor is a measure of how efficiently electrical power is being used
in a circuit. It tells us how much of the total power supplied is actually
doing useful work.
 POWER FACTOR
Types of power factor

• Unity pf – the voltage and current are in phase

• Lagging pf – the current lags the voltage by an acute angle
• Leading pf – the current leads the voltage by an acute angle
• Zero pf – if the voltage and current are out of phase by exactly 90degrees
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION
Power factor correction (PFC) is a technique used to improve the power
factor of an AC circuit. It reduces the amount of reactive power in the
system, making the circuit more efficient by ensuring that most of the
supplied power is used for useful work (real power).

Importance of Power Factor Correction

• Improves efficiency
• Lower energy costs
• Reduces losses
• Prevents overloading
POWER FACTOR CORRECTION
How is power factor corrected:

• Adding capacitors
• Using synchronous condensers
• Installing power factor correction equipment
AC POWER CALCULATIONS USING
MAGNITUDE ONLY
E2
P = EIcosθ = = I2 R = S 2 − Q2 (𝑊)
R

E2
Q = EIsinθ = = I2 X = S2 − P2 (𝑉𝐴𝑅 − 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒)
X

E2
S = EI = = I2 Z = P 2 + Q2 (𝑉𝐴)
Z

where: E = voltage in rms volts I = current in rms amperes

R = resistance in Z = impedance in ohms
X = reactance (inductive or capacitive) in ohms
AC POWER CALCULATIONS USING
COMPLEX QUANTITIES
Current Conjugate
S = EI ∗

Note: If θ and Q are positive (+), p.f. is lagging (inductive)

If θ and Q are negative (-), p.f. is leading (capacitive)

Voltage Conjugate
S = E∗I

Note: If θ and Q are negative (-), p.f. is lagging (inductive)

If θ and Q are positive (+), p.f. is leading (capacitive)
Example Problems
Determine the power factor and the true power in the RC Circuit.
Example Problems
For the circuit shown, find the
true power, the reactive power,
and the apparent power.
Example Problems
A series resistance-capacitance (RC) circuit is connected to a 230V, 60Hz source. If the
power taken by the circuit is 4800W and the voltage drop across the resistor is 115V,
calculate the capacitance of the capacitor.
Example Problems
A series resistance-capacitance
(RC) circuit is connected to a
230V, 60Hz source. If the power
taken by the circuit is 4800W and
the voltage drop across the
resistor is 115V, calculate the
capacitance of the capacitor.
Example Problems
Determine the power factor, the true power, the reactive power and the apparent power in
the circuit.
Example Problems
Determine the power factor, the
true power, the reactive power
and the apparent power in the
circuit.
Example Problems
Determine the power angle in the series circuit which consists of R = 25ohms, L = 0.2H
across a power supply of 200V, 30Hz?
Example Problems
Determine the power angle in the
series circuit which consists of R
= 25ohms, L = 0.2H across a
power supply of 200V, 30Hz?
Example Problems
A resistor of 6ohms and an unknown impedance coil in series draws 12A from a 120V, 60Hz line. If the
real power taken from the line is 1152 watts, what is the coil inductance.
Example Problems
A 26ohms resistor connected in series
with a coil of 50 ohms resistance and
150mH inductance. What is the power
factor of the circuit?
Example Problems
A resistor of 6ohms and an unknown
impedance coil in series draws 12A
from a 120V, 60Hz line. If the real
power taken from the line is 1152 watts,
what is the coil inductance.
CONDUCTANCE (G), SUSCEPTANCE
(β) & ADMITTANCE (Y)
Conductance is the reciprocal of resistance, R and is given the symbol G.
Conductance is defined as the ease at which a resistor (or a set of resistors) allows
current to flow when a voltage, either AC or DC is applied.

𝟏
𝑮=
𝑹

Admittance of a circuit is defined as the reciprocal of its impedance. Its symbol is Y.

Its unit is Siemens (S). The old unit was mho (ʊ).

𝟏
𝜸=
𝒁
CONDUCTANCE (G), SUSCEPTANCE
(β) & ADMITTANCE (Y)
Susceptance is the reciprocal of reactance, X and is given the symbol 𝜷. In AC
circuits susceptance is defined as the ease at which a reactance (or a set of
reactances) allows current to flow when a voltage is applied.

𝟏
𝜷=
𝑿

As the impedance Z of a circuit has two components X and R, similarly, admittance

Y also has two components. The G-component is known as conductance and ß-
component as susceptance. The unit of G, β and Y is Siemens.
ADMITTANCE TRIANGLE FOR A
PARALLEL RLC CIRCUIT

𝜸= 𝑮𝟐 + 𝜷𝑳 − 𝜷𝑪 𝟐

𝟐 𝟐
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
𝜸= + − 𝝎𝑪 =
𝑹 𝝎𝑳 𝒁

𝜷
𝜸 = 𝑮 + 𝒋𝜷 = ( 𝑮𝟐 + 𝜷𝟐 )∠ 𝐭𝐚𝐧−𝟏
𝑮
ADMITTANCE TRIANGLE FOR A
PARALLEL RL, RC & RLC CIRCUIT
General Rule:
 Impedance in series are added
 Admittance in parallel are added

Admittance
 the reciprocal of impedance
 expressed in series
 well suited in parallel circuit
RL CIRCUIT
RC CIRCUIT
RLC CIRCUIT
APPLICATION OF ADMITTANCE METHOD IN
SOLVING PARALLEL CIRCUITS
Consider the circuit shown. Total conductance is
found by merely adding the conductances of three
branches. Similarly, total susceptance is found by
algebraically adding the individual suscpetances of
different branches

Total conductance: G 𝑇 = G1 + G2 + G3 … (𝑆)(ʊ)

Total susceptance: β 𝑇 = β1 + β2 + 𝛽3 … (𝑆)(ʊ)
Total admittance: Z 𝑇 = Z1 + 𝑍2 + Z3 … (𝑆)(ʊ)
APPLICATION OF ADMITTANCE METHOD IN
SOLVING PARALLEL CIRCUITS
Ohm’s Law:
E
I= (𝐴)
Z

Since 1/Z = Y, therefore we can say,

I = YE (A)

It should be noted that admittances are added for parallel branches, whereas for branches
in series, it is the impedances which are added. However, it is important to remember that
since both admittances and impedances are complex quantities, all additions must be in
complex form. Simple arithmetic additions must not be attempted!
Example
Determine the total admittance then convert it to impedance.
Example
Determine the total admittance then
determine the phase angle of the
circuit
Example
Given the circuit below, find the
conductance, susceptance and
admittance.
Example
Given the circuit below, find the
conductance, susceptance and
admittance.
Example
Determine the total admittance of the
circuit. Then convert it to impedance.
Example
Determine the total admittance and phase angle of the circuit.
Example
Determine the total admittance and
phase angle of the circuit.