EEE-167 (IPE)

Basic Electrical and Electronic Circuits

AC Power Analysis

Course Instructor: Shahed Ahmed

Lecturer, Department of EEE, BUET
Instantaneous Power

Instantaneous power is the power at any instant of time. Unit : Watts

Instantaneous Power

Part-1 : time independent Part-2 : time dependent

Average Power

Average power is the average of the instantaneous power over one period
T. Unit : Watts
 Average Power calculation from phasors

Considering phasor voltage & current:

We recognize the following relationship:

Average Power calculation for special cases

Case-1: What type of circuit element does this imply?

Case-2: What type of circuit element does this imply?

 Exercise Problems

1) A current flows through an impedance . Find the

average power delivered to the impedance.

2) Find the average power supplied by the source and the same absorbed by the
resistor.
Maximum Average Power Transfer
Maximum Average Power Transfer
Maximum Average Power Transfer

After performing optimization:

Exercise Problem

Determine the value of 𝑍𝐿 that maximizes the power drawn from the
source. Also find the maximum power.
 EEE-167 (IPE)
Basic Electrical and Electronic Circuits

AC Power Analysis (contd.)

Course Instructor: Shahed Ahmed

Lecturer, Department of EEE, BUET
Effective or RMS value

The effective value of a periodic current is the DC current that delivers the
same average power to a resistor as the periodic current.
Effective or RMS value

The effective value of a periodic current is the DC current that delivers the
same average power to a resistor as the periodic current.
Effective or RMS value

The effective value of a periodic current is the DC current that delivers the
same average power to a resistor as the periodic current.

Comparing:

General formula for effective current/voltage:

Effective current/voltage & Average Power
(sinusoid current)
Finding Effective value: Examples
Finding Effective value: Examples

Average power absorbed by a 10Ω resistor which

has the given voltage waveform across it:
Apparent Power and Power Factor
Voltage and current in time-domain & phasor-domain:

Average Power:

Apparent Power:

Unity PF : 𝜃𝑣 = 𝜃𝑖
Power Factor: Lagging PF : 𝜃𝑣 > 𝜃𝑖
Leading PF : 𝜃𝑣 < 𝜃𝑖
Power Factor from Impedances
The power factor angle is equal to the angle of the load impedance if the voltage across
the load is V and the current through is I.
Example problem

Determine the power factor of the entire circuit seen by the source. Also calculate the average
power supplied by the source.

Ans: 0.9734 (leading PF); 125 W

 EEE-167 (IPE)
Basic Electrical and Electronic Circuits

AC Power Analysis (contd.)

Course Instructor: Shahed Ahmed

Lecturer, Department of EEE, BUET
Exercise problem

Determine the effective value of the given current waveform. If the current waveform flows
through a 9Ω resistor, calculate the average power consumed by the resistor.

Ans: 9.238 Amp; 768 W

Apparent Power and Power Factor
Voltage and current in time-domain & phasor-domain:

Average Power:

Apparent Power:

Unity PF : 𝜃𝑣 = 𝜃𝑖
Power Factor: Lagging PF : 𝜃𝑣 > 𝜃𝑖
Leading PF : 𝜃𝑣 < 𝜃𝑖
Complex Power, S

Complex power contains all information regarding the power absorbed by a

certain load (resistive/inductive/capacitive). It is highly regarded in power
analysis
Complex Power from load impedance, Z
Real and Reactive Powers

Real power (P) - Average Power in Watts delivered to a load

Reactive power (Q) - A measure of the energy exchange between
the source and reactive elements (unit : VAR)

Reactive power is not useful to us, unlike real power. It is the power going
back and forth between the load and the source.

Q = 0 for a Resistive Load (unity pf)

Q>0 for an Inductive Load (lagging pf)
Q<0 for a Capacitive Load (leading pf)
All in one slide!
Power Triangle

Power triangle Impedance triangle

Power triangle (detailed)
Exercise Problem
The voltage across a load is 𝑣 𝑡 = 60 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 10° and the current through the element
in the direction of the voltage drop is i 𝑡 = 1.5 cos 𝜔𝑡 + 50° . Find (a) the complex and
apparent powers, (b) the real and reactive powers, and (c) the power factor and the load
impedance.
 EEE-167 (IPE)
Basic Electrical and Electronic Circuits

AC Power Analysis (contd.)

Course Instructor: Shahed Ahmed

Lecturer, Department of EEE, BUET
Exercise problem

For the entire circuit given in the following figure, find (a) the total power factor, (b) the
average power delivered by the source, (c) complex power, and (d) apparent power.

Ans: (a) 0.9956 (lagging); (b) 31.12 W; (c) 31.12 + j2.932; (d) 31.26 VA
Conservation of AC Power
Conservation of AC Power
Conservation of AC Power

Whether the loads are connected in series or parallel (or in general), the total power
supplied by the source equals the total power delivered to the load. Thus, in general
for a source connected to N loads,

This principle is only applicable for real and reactive powers (equate the real and
imaginary parts of the above equation for complex power); but not true for
apparent power. Why is that?
Exercise Problem
Calculate the total apparent power, total real power, total reactive power and overall
pf seen by the source.
Power Factor Correction/Improvement
We wish to improve the power factor, i.e. make it closer to unity (resistive load) to
reduce the amount of current drawn from the source, while keeping the average
power constant.

Before PFI After PFI Phasor diagram

Finding a suitable capacitor

Power Triangle