EEC Note Lecture12

EEC Notes
(MSBTE Diploma)
Lecture 12
Power Factor
• Power factor is a measure of how efficiently electrical power is being used in a circuit.
It is defined as the ratio of the real power (measured in watts) to the apparent power
(measured in volt-amperes). In other words, it is the cosine of the phase angle between
the voltage and current in an AC circuit.
• A power factor of 1 indicates that all of the power being delivered to the circuit is being
used for useful work, while a power factor of less than 1 indicates that some of the
power is being wasted as reactive power, which does not contribute to useful work.
• Low power factor can result in increased electricity bills and equipment overheating,
among other issues. Therefore, power factor correction techniques are often employed
to improve the efficiency of electrical systems and reduce costs. These techniques
include the use of capacitors, inductors, and other reactive components to counteract
the reactive power in a circuit and improve the power factor.
Active Power
Active power, also known as real power, is the actual power that is used to perform useful work
in an electrical circuit. It is measured in watts (W) and is the product of the voltage (V) and
current (I) in a circuit, multiplied by the power factor (PF). Mathematically, it can be expressed
as:
Active Power (P) = V x I x PF
• In a purely resistive circuit, the active power is equal to the apparent power (which is
the product of the voltage and current) because there is no reactive power component.
However, in an AC circuit with inductive or capacitive loads, the active power is less
than the apparent power due to the presence of reactive power, which does not
contribute to useful work. In this case, the power factor is less than 1, and power factor
correction techniques can be used to improve the efficiency of the circuit.
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• Active power is an important parameter in electrical systems, as it represents the power
that is consumed by loads and therefore affects electricity bills and energy efficiency.
Reactive Power
• Reactive power is a type of electrical power that does not perform any actual work, but
is required by some types of electrical loads to maintain their operation. It is measured
in volt-amperes reactive (VAR) or kilovolt-amperes reactive (kVAR).
• In an AC circuit, reactive power arises from the interaction between the voltage and the
current, and is caused by inductive or capacitive loads. Inductive loads, such as motors
and transformers, require reactive power to create and maintain magnetic fields, while
capacitive loads, such as capacitors, require reactive power to store and release energy.
• Reactive power is not dissipated as heat or used to perform any useful work, and
therefore does not contribute to the active power that is consumed by loads. However,
it does affect the overall efficiency of an electrical system and can result in increased
electricity bills and reduced equipment lifespan.
• The total power in an AC circuit is the vector sum of the active power (real power) and
the reactive power, and is known as the apparent power. The power factor is the ratio
of the active power to the apparent power, and is a measure of the efficiency of an
electrical system. Power factor correction techniques, such as the use of capacitors and
inductors, can be employed to reduce the amount of reactive power in a circuit and
improve its efficiency.
Apparent Power
Apparent power is a measure of the total power in an AC electrical circuit, taking into account
both the active power (real power) and the reactive power. It is measured in volt-amperes (VA)
or kilovolt-amperes (kVA).
The apparent power is the vector sum of the active power and the reactive power, and is
calculated using the following formula:

Apparent Power (S) = V x I
where V is the RMS voltage of the circuit, and I is the RMS current of the circuit.
In other words, the apparent power is the product of the root-mean-square (RMS) values of the
voltage and current in the circuit, and represents the total power that is being supplied to the
circuit.
While the active power is the portion of the apparent power that is used to perform useful work,
the reactive power is the portion of the apparent power that is used to maintain inductive and
capacitive loads. The power factor of a circuit is the ratio of the active power to the apparent
power, and indicates how efficiently the circuit is using the total power that is being supplied
to it. Power factor correction techniques can be used to improve the efficiency of a circuit by
reducing the reactive power component and increasing the power factor.
Power Triangle
The power triangle is a graphical representation of the relationship between the active power
(P), reactive power (Q), and apparent power (S) in an AC electrical circuit. It is a right-angled
triangle where the hypotenuse represents the apparent power (S), the horizontal side represents
the active power (P), and the vertical side represents the reactive power (Q).
The relationship between these three quantities can be expressed mathematically as follows:
S² = P² + Q²
where S is the apparent power, P is the active power, and Q is the reactive power.

The power factor of a circuit, which is the ratio of the active power to the apparent power, can
also be represented in the power triangle. It is the cosine of the angle between the horizontal
side (P) and the hypotenuse (S). Therefore, the power factor can be calculated as:
Power Factor = P / S = cos(θ)
where θ is the angle between P and S in the power triangle.
The power triangle is a useful tool for understanding the relationships between the various
power parameters in an AC electrical circuit and can be used to calculate the power factor,
apparent power, and other related quantities. It is also commonly used in power factor
correction and electrical system optimization.

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EEC Notes

Active Power (P) = V x I x PF

EEC NOTES YouTube Channel: - Ur Engineering Friend

EEC NOTES YouTube Channel: - Ur Engineering Friend

EEC NOTES YouTube Channel: - Ur Engineering Friend

Power Factor = P / S = cos(θ)

where θ is the angle between P and S in the power triangle.

EEC NOTES YouTube Channel: - Ur Engineering Friend

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