VARIABLE LOADS

Von Eric Damirez, ME, MSc

 Reserve over peak
Reserve over peak – is the plant capacity less
the peak load.

Reserve over peak = Plant capacity − Peak load

 Average load
It is the ratio of the kilowatt-hours of energy
to the period covered.

𝑘𝑊 − ℎ𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
Average load=
𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠
 Load factor
The ratio of the average load over a designated period
of time to the peak load occurring in that period. The
average load may be determined for any specified
length of time such as day, month, or year.

𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑
Load factor=
𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑
Peak load - is the maximum load consumed or
produced by a unit or group of units in a stated period
of time.
 Capacity factor
The ratio of the average load on a machine or
equipment, for the period of time considered,
to the rating of the machine or equipment.
When applied to a plant, this factor is called
plant factor or plant-capacity factor.

actual energy produced

Capacity factor =
maximum possible energy
 Capacity factor
The ratio of the average load on a machine or
equipment, for the period of time considered,
to the rating of the machine or equipment.
When applied to a plant, this factor is called
plant factor or plant-capacity factor.
actual energy produced
Capacity factor =
maximum possible energy
annual kw hrs
Annual capacity factor=
kw plant capacity x 8760hrs
 Use factor
Output factor or use factor is the ratio of the
actual energy output, in the period of time
considered, to the energy output which would
have occurred if the machine or equipment
had been operating at its full rating
throughout its actual hours of service during
the period.
annual kw hrs
Use factor =
kw plant capacity x no of hrs operation
 Utilization factor
The ratio of the maximum demand of a
system, or part of a system, to the rated
capacity of the system, or part of the system,
under consideration.

maximum demand of system

Utilization factor =
rated capacity of system
 Other Formula
actual maximum demand
Demand factor =
connected load
sumof individual maximum demands
Diversity factor =
maximum simultaneous demand
average load
Plant factor =
rating of equipment supplying the load

duration of actual service

Operation factor =
total duration of the period of time considered
 SAMPLE PROBLEM
A 50 MW power plant has an average load of 31,500 KW and
a load factor of 70%. Find the reserve over peak.
 SAMPLE PROBLEM
The daily energy produced in a certain power is 280,000
kWhrs. What is the daily average load?
 SAMPLE PROBLEM
The annual energy produced in a 100 MW power plant is
438,000,000 KW – hrs. What is the annual capacity factor of
the plant?
 SAMPLE PROBLEM
Calculate the average load and load factor.
 SEATWORK 10
A generating station has the following daily load cycle :

Time (Hours) 0-6 6-10 10-12 12-16 16-20 20-24

Load (MW) 40 50 60 50 70 40

Draw the load curve and find (i) maximum demand (ii) total
area in sq. cm (iii) kW generated per day (iv) average load
and (v) load factor.
Use this scale: 1 cm = 5 MW and 1 cm=24 hours