EE 315

Power Distribution and Utilization

Lecture2: Electricity Basics

Dr. Shahid Alam

Assistant Professor
Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering
Sciences and Technology
s.alam@giki.edu.pk
 Reactance
o The non-resistive component of impedance in an AC circuit,
arising from the effect of inductance or capacitance or both and
causing the current to be out of phase with the electromotive force
causing it.

ac tan ce of an inductor, X L  L
Reactance
Re

Inductance L of a coil, in addition to geometrical factors (number of

turns, length and area), depends on the permeability of the materials
on which it is wrapped around.
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ac tan ce of a capacitor, XC 
Reactance
Re
C
Capacitance depends on the geometry factors (length and area) and
permittivity of the material
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AC Power

o AC Impedance is a complex quantity made up of

real resistance and imaginary reactance
(inductance/capacitance)

Z  R  jX ( )
o AC Apparent Power is a complex quantity made up
of real active power and imaginary reactive power

S  P  jQ (VA)

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AC Real (Active) Power (P)

o The Active power is the power that is dissipated in

the resistance of the load
o It uses the same formula used for DC (V & I are
the magnitudes, not the phasors)
2
V
P  I 2R  [watts, W]
R
Note! The voltage in the above equation is the Voltage drop across
the resistor, not across the entire circuit!

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AC Imaginary (Reactive) Power (Q)
o The reactive power is the power that is exchanged
between reactive components (inductors and
capacitors)
o The formulas look similar to those used by the active
power, but use reactance instead of resistances
2
V
Q  I2X  [VAR]
X
Note!
o The voltage in the above equation is the drop across the
reactance, not across the entire circuit!
o Q is negative for a capacitor by convention and positive for
inductor. Just like X is negative for a capacitor (-jXc)
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AC Apparent Power (S)

o The apparent power is the power that is “appears”

to flow to the load
o The magnitude of apparent power can be calculated
using similar formulas to those for active or
reactive power
2
V
S  VI  I 2 Z  [VA]
Z
Note!
o Units: Volts-Amps (VA)
o V & I are the magnitudes, not the phasors
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Power Triangle

o The power triangle graphically shows the

relationship between real (P), reactive (Q) and
apparent power (S)

S  P2  Q2
S  P  jQL
S  S 
S  IV (VA)
P  S cos (W)
Q  S sin  (VAR)
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Power Factor
o The term cos𝜃 is referred to as the power factor (pf).
o Pf is the measurement of how effectively electrical
equipment converts electrical power (supplied by the power
utility) into a useful power output.
o In technical terms, it is the ratio of active power (kW) to the
Apparent power (kVA) of an electrical installation.
o The higher the pf, the more effectively electrical power is
being used and vice versa.
o Low pf is expensive and inefficient, with many utility
companies charging extra, (reactive power charge), for sites
with a poor power factor.
o Low pf can also reduce the capacity of electrical distribution
system by increasing current flow and causing voltage drops.
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Power Factor Leading or Lagging
o Inductive circuits have lagging power factors.
o Capacitive circuits have leading power factors.

+𝜃

−𝜃

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Total Power in AC Circuits

o The total power real (PT) and reactive power (QT)

is simply the sum of the real and reactive power for
each individual circuit elements
o How elements are connected does not matter for
computation of total power

P1
Q1

PT  P1  P2  P3  P
P4 P2 P3
T Q2 Q3
QT  Q1  Q2  Q3  QQ4T

P4
Q4
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AC Power to a Resistive Load
o In ac circuits, voltage and current are functions of
time
o Power at a particular instant in time is given
Vm I m
p  vi  (Vm sin t )( I m sin t )  Vm I m sin t 
2
1  cos 2t 
2
o This is called instantaneous power.

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AC Power to a Resistive Load

o p is always positive
o All of the power delivered by the source is
absorbed by the load
o Average power P = VmIm / 2

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Average Power to a Resistive Load
o Using RMS values V and I
Vm
VRMS  rms value of voltage
2
Im
I RMS  rms value of current
2
Vm I m  Vm  I m 
P     VRMS I RMS (watts)
2  2  2 

o Active power is the average value of instantaneous

power

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Power to an Inductive Load
i  I m sin t
v  Vm sin(t  90)
p  vi  (Vm sin t  90 )( I m sin t )  Vm I m cos t sin t
Vm I m  Vm  I m 
  sin 2t      sin 2t  VRMS I RMS sin 2t
2  2  2 

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Power to an Inductive Load

o p is equally positive and negative

o All of the power delivered by the source is
returned
o Average power PL = 0 W

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 Power to a Capacitive Load
i  I m sin t
v  Vm sin(t  90)
p  vi  (Vm sin t  90 )( I m sin t )  Vm I m cos t sin t
Vm I m  Vm  I m 
  sin 2t       sin 2t  VRMS I RMS sin 2t
2  2  2 

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Power to a Capacitive Load

o p is equally positive and negative

o All of the power delivered by the source is returned
(no power losses with a pure reactive load).
o Average power PC = 0 W

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 Summary

AC Power to a Resistive Load

AC Power to a Inductive Load

AC Power to a Capacitive Load

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