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Topic 2:
Variable Load Problem
ME 85: Power Plant Engineering
2nd Semester, SY 2019-2020

Variable load Problem

• Load changes from time to time.

• Types of Load:
• Ideal Load
• Realized Load

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Types of load: Ideal Load

• From standpoint of equipment needed and operating
routine, would be one of constant magnitude and steady
duration.

Types of Load: Realized Load

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Load Curve

• refers to the graph used to represent the relationship

between the demanded load and time sequence.

• Monthly load curve

• is the average of the daily load curves over a one-month
period that is used in establishing rates.
• Annual load curve
• is the average of the daily load curves over a period of
one year that is used in determining the annual load
factor. ( 8760 hrs/yr )

Terms as applied to base-load and peak-load

power plants
• Base load power plants
• include steam, hydroelectric power and geothermal power plants.
• Peak load power plants
• include diesel-electric and gas turbine power plants.
• Reserve over peak or reserve capacity over and above the peak
load
• is the plant capacity less the peak load.
• Average load
• is the ratio of the kilowatt-hours of energy to the peak load.

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• Load factor
• is the ratio of the average load to the maximum load in a given period

• Power factor
• is the ratio of the actual power to the apparent power.
• Demand factor
• is the ratio of the actual maximum demand to the connected
load.
• Connected load
• the sum of the continuous ratings of all the equipment and
outlets on the customer’s circuits.
• Diversity factor
• is the ratio of the sum of the individual maximum demands to
the maximum simultaneous demand;
• the value to be obtained is always greater than one.

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• Plant capacity factor

• Is the actual energy production divided by the
maximum possible energy that might have been
produced during the period.

• Plant use factor

• is the ratio of the actual energy production to the
maximum possible energy that might have been
produced in the same period.

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• Plant factor
• is the ratio of the average load to the equipment
rating supplying the load.
• Utilization factor
• is the ratio of the maximum system demand to the
rated system capacity.
• Operation factor
• is the ratio of duration of actual service to the total
expected load.

Elements of an Electric Power System

The manner in which the energy output of an electric

power system or power plant is subdivided and sent
thousands of individual customers is as follows:
1. Power plant or central station
2. Substations
3. Feeders
4. Distribution transformers
5. Customers: domestic, industrial, and residential.

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Sample Problems

Topic 2: Variable Load Problem

Sample Problem No. 1:

A central station is supplying energy to a community through two
substations. One substation feeds four distributing circuits; the
other, six. The maximum daily recorded demands are:

Calculate the diversity factor between (a) substations, (b) feeders

on Substation A, (c) feeders on Substation B.

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Solution:

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Sample Problem No. 2:

An electric feeder line serves four distribution

transformers which have the following connected loads.

Using tabulated factors, find the peak load on the feeder.

Solution:

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Sample Problem No. 3:

A central station has annual factors as follows:

• Load 58.5%
• Capacity 40.9%
• Use 45.2%
The reserve carried over and above peak load is
8900 kW. Find (a) installed capacity, (b) annual
production, (c) hr per year not in service.

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Solution:

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