Lecture 7

Single-Phase Complex
Power Calculations
Learning Outcomes:

After completing this study unit you will be able to:

1. Calculate complex power, apparent power and power

factor

2. Apply the principle of conservation of complex power

3. Do power factor correction

Complex Power Absorbed by a Resistive Circuit

Consider a two-terminal, linear and purely resistive network,

as shown in the figure below. We assume that the circuit to be
analysed:
i. is excited by a sinusoidal input, v(t) = Vmcos(), and
ii. the terminal current has reached its steady state value,
i(t) = Imcos(t)

i(t)

Linear
v(t)
network

The time domain circuit

Complex Power Absorbed by a Resistive Circuit
The input current and input voltage in phasor form are

I  I m 0
V  Vm 0
and
V  Vm 0 I  I m 0

The complex power delivered to the circuit is defined to be

1
S  V  I*
2

where I * is the complex conjugate of the current I . Therefore,

1 1
S   Vm 0  I m 0  Vm I m 0 VA
2 2
Complex Power Absorbed by a Resistive Circuit
The complex power in rectangular form is

1 1
S  Vm I m cos0  j Vm I m sin 0
2 2
This can be written as

S  P  jQ
where
1
P  Vm I m cos0  Vrms I rms is the average, real or active
2 power [W]

1
Q  Vm I m sin 0  0 is the reactive power [VAR]
2
This last result tells us that a resistance does not consume
reactive power.
Complex Power Absorbed by a Resistive Circuit
The power triangle for a purely resistive load is shown below.

Im

S=P;Q=0

S
Re
P
Complex Power Absorbed by a Resistive Circuit

Notes
1. The COMPLEX Power S contains all the information
pertaining to the power absorbed by a given load.
2. The REAL Power is the only useful power delivered to the load.
3. The REACTIVE Power represents the energy exchange
between the source and reactive part of the load. It is being
transferred back and forth between the load and the source
 Worked Example
Compute the power absorbed by R

Solution
VS  Pvs (t )  20  15o V

jL  j 100 120 103  j12 

 Solution
Phasor domain circuit:
Compute circuit current, I .
VR
VS 20  15o
I I 
Z 25  j12
VS  20  15o V j12  VL

 0.721  40.64o A

Compute voltage drop VR .

VR  R  I
Z  25  j12 
 25  0.721  40.64o
 18.03  40.64 V
Solution
Complex power delivered to R is

VR R = 25 Ω

1 1
S R  VR  I *  18.03  40.64o  0.72140.64o
2 2
 6.5 W

Since SR has no reactive component, the 25 Ω resistance

absorbs only active power and no reactive power.
Alternative Solution
Compute circuit current, I .

VS 20  15o
I   0.721  40.64o A
Z 25  j12
VR

Complex power consumed by circuit I

is
1 * VS  20  15o V j12  VL
S   V s I rms
2
1
  20  15  0.72140.64
2
Z
 7.2125.64 VA
Alternative Solution
Since there is only one resistance present in the circuit, the
active power absorbed by the circuit is also the active power
absorbed by the 25 Ω resistance. Therefore, active power
absorbed by the 25 Ω resistance is


VR
P  Re S I

 Re7.2125.64  VS  20  15o V j12  VL

 6. 5 W

Z
Complex Power Absorbed by a Purely Inductive Circuit

Assume a linear inductive circuit.

i(t)

Let i (t )  I m sin t  I m cost  90 Linear

v(t)
circuit

From Lecture 6, we found for an inductor,

di
v(t )  L The time domain circuit
dt
d
 L I m sin t 
dt
 LI m cos t  Vm cos t

where Vm  LI m2
Complex Power Absorbed by a Purely Inductive Circuit

In phasor form, we have

V  Vm 0
I  I m   90
and
V  Vm 0
I  I m   90

The complex power delivered to the circuit is defined to be

1
S  V  I*
2

where I * is the complex conjugate of the current I .

Power Absorbed by a Purely Inductive Circuit
Therefore, complex power consumed by the circuit is
1 1
S   Vm 0  I m 90  Vm I m 90
2 2
1 1
 Vm I m cos90o  j Vm I m sin 90o 
2 2
Thus, average, real or active power consumed by the purely
inductive circuit is
1
P  Vm I m cos90o   0
2
and reactive power consumed by the inductive circuit is
1 1
Q  Vm I m sin 90   Vm I m  Vrms I rms
o

2 2
Power Absorbed by a Purely Inductive Circuit
Power triangle for a purely inductive circuit

Im
S = jQ ; P = 0
S jQ

Re
Worked Example
Compute the power absorbed by L.

Solution

VS  Pvs (t )  20  15o V

jL  j 100 120 103  j12 

 Solution
Phasor domain circuit: Compute circuit current, I .
VS 20  15o
I 
VR Z 25  j12
I  0.721  40.64o A
VS  20  15o V j12  VL
Peak voltage drop across L is

VL  X LIL
 1290  0.721  40.64o
Z  25  j12   8.6549.36 V
Solution
Complex power delivered to L is
1
S L  VL  I *
2
1
  8.6549.36  0.72140.46o
2 j12 Ω
 j 3.12 VA

Hence, reactive power consumed by L is

 
Q  Im SL  3.12 VAR
SL
Alternative Solution
Compute circuit current, I .

VS 20  15o
I   0.721  40.64o A
Z 25  j12
Therefore,

 I m2  1
Q    ImZ    0.7212  12  3.12 VAR
 2  2
Complex Power Absorbed by a Purely Capacitive Circuit

Assume a linear and purely capacitive circuit.

v(t )  Vm sin t  Vm cost  90

Then, current flowing into capacitor is
dv i(t)
i (t )  C
dt Linear
v(t)
d
 C Vm sin t  circuit
dt
 CVm cos t  I m cos t The time domain circuit

where I m  CVm2
Complex Power Absorbed by a Purely Capacitive Circuit
In phasor form,

I  I m 0 I  I m 0

and
V  Vm   90 V  Vm   90

The complex power delivered to the circuit is defined to be

1
S  V  I*
2

where I * is the complex conjugate of the current I . Therefore,

1 1
S   Vm   90  I m 0  Vm I m   90
2 2
Complex Power Absorbed by a Purely Capacitive Circuit

Therefore, complex power consumed by the circuit is

1 1
S  Vm I m cos 90o  j Vm I m sin  90 o 
2 2

Thus, average, real or active power consumed by circuit is

 1
P  Re S  Vm I m cos 90 o   0
2

and reactive power consumed by the circuit is

1 1
Q  Im S  Vm I m sin  90o    Vm I m  Vrms I rms
2 2
Complex Power Absorbed by a Purely Capacitive Circuit
Power triangle for a purely capacitive circuit

Im

Re
S - jQ
S = - jQ ; P = 0
Complex Power Consumed by an Impedance

The (driving point) impedance of a two-terminal circuit can

be expressed as
V Vm V Vm
Z   Z V  I  where Z 
I I m  I Im

I
In rectangular form
V V Linear
Z  m cos V  I   j m sin  V  I  V
network
Im Im
or
Z  R  jX
where
Vm Vm
R cos V  I  and X sin  V  I 
Im Im
Complex Power Consumed by an Impedance

The complex power can also be expressed in terms of

the impedance Z, as shown below.
1 1
S  Vm I m cosV   I   j Vm I m sin V   I 
2 2

1 Vm  1 Vm 
  I m  cosV   I   j  I m  sin V   I 
2 2

2  Im  2  Im 

 I m2   I m2 
   ReZ  j   ImZ 
2  2 
Comparing the above equation with S  P  jQ , we hence obtain
 I 2

 Im  Q    ImZ 
2
P    ReZ  and m

2  2 
Power Triangle
1. Resistive- inductive load

Im S = P + jQ

S
jQ
Re
P
Summary: Power Triangle
2. Resistive-capacitive load

Im
S = P - jQ

P
Re
- jQ
S
Summary: Power Triangle
3. Resistive – capacitive - inductive load

Im
S = P + j(QL – QC)
S
j(QL- QC)
Re
Worked Example
Calculate the active and reactive powers supplied by the
voltage source to the load.

Given: vs  100cos1000t V
=1000
Solution
1. Find load current.
Vs
I( )   7.07  45
1
R  j L  j
C
2. Use Ohm’s law to get the element voltage phasors.

VR ( )  RI( )  70.7  45

VL ( )  j LI( )  141.445
j
VC ( )  I( )  70.7  135
C
Solution
3. Compute complex power of each element.
Vs I*
SV 
2
 353.545 VA Complex power supplied by the source
For the resistor
VR I*
SR 
2
 2500 VA Complex power absorbed by the resistor

For the inductor

VL I*
SL 
2
 50090 VA Complex power delivered to the inductor
Solution
For the capacitor
VC I*
SC 
2
 250  90 VA Complex power delivered to the
capacitor

The total power absorbed by all elements (except source)

S R  S L  SC  2500  50090  250  90
 353.545  SV
For all elements
Vk I*k

all 2
0
elements
Solution
Active power supplied to the resistor is
 I m2 
P    Re( Z)
 2 

 I m2 
PR    R  250 W PL  PC  0
 2 
Active power supplied to the inductor and capacitor is

Active power supplied by the voltage source is

 Vs I* 
PV  Re SV   Re  
 2 
 Re(353.545)  250 W
Exercise
Calculate the total active and reactive powers supplied by the source
to the resistors.
Conservation of Complex Power
Consider the parallel connected circuit shown below.
1
S  V I*
2
1
 
 V  I 1*  I 2*
2
1 1
 V  I 1*  V  I 2*
2 2
 S 1 S 2
This result shows that for a parallel-
connected circuit the complex, real and
reactive power of the sources equal the S
respective sum of the complex, real and
reactive power of the individual loads.
Conservation of Complex Power
The same result is obtained for series-connected circuit, as
shown below.

1
S  V I*
2
1 *
 
 V1  V2*  I *
2
1 1
 V1  I  V2  I *
*

2 2

 S 1 S 2 S
This can be written as

S  S 1 S 2  0 or S
all elements
i 0
Conservation of Complex Power
Thus, for either the parallel circuit or the series circuit, we
have shown that the sum of complex power absorbed by
all the elements of the circuit is zero.

Mathematically, we can write

Vk I*k
 all 2
0
elements

Now, the complex power is conserved implies that both average

power and reactive power are conserved. That is,

 all
Pk  0 and  all
Qk  0
elements elements
Worked Example
Finding the total complex power supplied by the source to
the three loads.
Solution
Complex power consumed by load 1,

S1  P  jQ  100  j 0  VA

Complex power consumed by load 2,


S 2  P  jQ  200  j 700  VA
Complex power consumed by load 3,

S3  P  jQ  300  j1500  VA
Solution
Total complex power consumed by the loads,

S  P  jQ  S1  S2  ( P1  P2 )  j (Q1  Q2 )

 (100  200  300)  j (700  1500) VA

 600  j800  1000  53.13o VA

Worked Example
The 60  resistor absorbs 240 Watt of average power.
Calculate V and the complex power of each branch. What is
the total complex power?
Solution
Phasor domain circuit:

Let I 2 be the current through the 60-Ω resistor. Now P  I 2 R ,

2

therefore

240  60  I 22
240
Solving for I2, we obtain I2  2A
60
Solution
Let I 2 be the reference phasor. Therefore, we can write

I 2  2  j 0  20 o A (rms)

Application of Ohm’s law to the right branch impedance gives us the

voltage drop

Vo  60  j 20 20 o  120  j 40 A (rms)

Application of Ohm’s law to the left branch impedance gives us the

branch current
Vo
I1   3.2  j 2.4  A (rms)
30  j10
Next, KCL gives us the current equation

I  I1  I 2  3.2  j 2.4  2  5.2  j 2.4 A

Solution
V  20  I  Vo  104  j 48  120  j 40 V

 224  j88  240.6721.45o V

For the 20-Ω resistor,

V  20  I  204  j 48  114 .54.8o V

I *  5.2  j 2.4   5.2  j 2.4 A

*

S 3  V  I *  114.54.8o  5.2  j 2.4 

Therefore,
S 3  654   19.97 o A
Solution
For the (30 - j10) Ω impedance,

Vo  120  j 40  126.5  24.8o V

I1  3.2  j 2.4  436.87 o A

S1  Vo  I1*  126.518.43o  4  36.87 o VA

Therefore,

S1  506  18.44o  480-j160  VA

Solution
o
For the (60 + j20) Ω impedance, I 2  20 A

S 2  Vo  I 2*  126.518.43o  20o  25318.43 VA

Therefore,

S 2  240  j80  VA

The overall complex power supplied by the source is

ST  240.6721.45o  5.727  24.8o VA

giving

ST  1736  j80  VA
Exercise
Two loads are connected in parallel. Load 1 has 2 kW,
pf=0.75 leading and Load 2 has 4 kW, pf=0.95 lagging.
Calculate the pf of the two loads and the complex power
supplied by the source.
Power Factor Correction

Objective

To adjust the power factor by adding a compensating

impedance to the load.

Goal
The goal of power factor correction is to deliver maximum
power to the load using the lowest source current.
In the following worked example we will first
determine the current that the generator needs to
supply to load when its power factor is not
corrected to unity. Then, we will demonstrate the
advantage of correcting the power factor of the
load on the magnitude of the current that needs
to be supplied by the generator to the load.
Worked Example
For the circuit shown below, calculate
(i) the supply current,
(ii) the reactive power that needs to be supplied by a
capacitor bank to increase the power factor to unity.
(iii) the value of the supply current at unity power factor.

IS

P = 120 kW
600 V Load
Q = 160 kVAr
Solution
Let VS be the reference phasor.
Complex power supplied by the generator to the load is

S L  VS I S* IS

 6000o  I S* P = 120 kW
600 V Load
Q = 160 kVAr
 120,000  j160,000

Therefore, SL

* 120,000  j160,000 o
I 
S o
 333. 3351.3 A (rms)
6000
and
I S  333.33  51.3o A (rms)
Solution

To achieve unity power factor, we need to connect a

compensating reactive load in parallel with the original load
that cancels out the reactive power.
IS

Let SC be the complex power

consumed by the compensating load. Reactive
Load
600 V
Then, complex power supplied by the load

generator to the two loads is

SG  SC  S L P = 120 kW
Q = 160 kVAr

To obtain unity power factor, we need ensure that S G

has no imaginary part. Now, since

S L  120,000  j160,000
Solution
Therefore, we require

SC   j160,000
so that

SG  SC  S L
 120,000  j160,000  j160,000
 120 kW

Therefore, supply current at unity power factor is

SG 120 kW
I S*   o
 200 0 o
A  IS
VS 6000
Solution
Thus, by correcting the load power factor, we have managed to
deliver the active power required by the load and at the same
time significantly reduced the supply current. This reduces the
size of the cable used to supply the load current and also the
required VA rating of the generator.
The VA rating of the generator for the power factor corrected
load is

S = VSIS = 600 x 200 = 120 kVA

 Summary
In this study unit we have looked at
1. Complex power
2. Conservation of complex power
3. Power factor correction.