Power Systems and Electrical Machines: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 10 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Formulas and methods

Three-phase power

Y connection
VL = √3·Vph, IL = Iph
Δ connection
VL = Vph, IL = √3·Iph
Total real power
P = √3·VL·IL·cos φ = 3·Iph²·R
Apparent and reactive power
S = √3·VL·IL, Q = P·tan φ
Correction capacitors
QC = P(tan φ1 − tan φ2), C = QC/(3ωV²)
Voltage across each capacitor
Δ: VL Y: VL/√3
Motor input
Pin = Pout/η

Transformers

Turns ratio
a = N1/N2 = V1/V2
Current ratio
I1/I2 = N2/N1 = 1/a
Rated current
I = S/V
Referred impedance
Z1′ = a²·ZL
Copper loss at part load
Pcu = x²·Pcu,fl
Efficiency
η = x·S·pf/(x·S·pf + Pcore + x²·Pcu,fl)
Maximum efficiency
x = √(Pcore/Pcu,fl)

AC power & power factor

Real power
P = V·I·cos φ
Reactive power
Q = V·I·sin φ
Apparent power
S = V·I = √(P² + Q²)
Power factor
pf = cos φ = P/S
Correction capacitor
QC = P(tan φ1 − tan φ2), C = QC/(ωV²)

AC impedance & phasors

Impedances
ZR = R, ZL = jωL, ZC = 1/(jωC)
Angular frequency
ω = 2πf
Magnitude and angle
|Z| = √(R² + X²), φ = atan(X/R)
Phasor Ohm’s law
V = I·Z

Method

  1. Convert the frequency: ω = 2πf.
  2. Find each reactance: XL = ωL and XC = 1/(ωC).
  3. Add impedances like resistors, with Z = R + jX.
  4. Find the magnitude |Z| = √(R² + X²) and the angle φ = atan(X/R), then use Ohm’s law with phasors.

DC motors

Armature circuit
V = E + IaRa
Back-EMF and torque
E = k·ω, T = k·Ia
Speed
ω = 2π·n/60, ω = (V − IaRa)/k
No-load speed and stall torque
ω0 = V/k, Tstall = k·V/Ra
Powers
Pin = V·Ia, Pdev = E·Ia = T·ω, Pout = Pdev − Prot
Starting
Istart = V/(Ra + Rst)
Speed regulation
SR = (n0 − nFL)/nFL
Maximum developed power
Pmax = V²/(4Ra)
Chopper drive
Va = D·Vdc

Method

  1. Draw the armature circuit: supply V, resistance Ra and the back-EMF E in series.
  2. Use V = E + Ia·Ra to link voltage, current and back-EMF.
  3. Use E = k·ω for speed and T = k·Ia for torque, with ω = 2π·n/60.
  4. For power and efficiency, start from V·Ia, subtract the copper loss Ia²·Ra and then the rotational losses.

2Practice problems

1.Three-phase powerMedium
ABCVL​ = 415 VIL​ = ?M90 kW, η = 88%cos φ = 0.82

A three-phase induction motor delivers 90 kW of mechanical output power at full load. At this load its efficiency is 88% and its power factor is 0.82 lagging. The supply has a line-to-line voltage of 415 V. Find the line current IL.

Pout = 90 kWη = 88%cos φ = 0.82VL = 415 V
IL = A
2.Three-phase powerHard
P = 75 kWφ1​S1​Q2​QC​

A balanced three-phase load takes 75 kW at a power factor of 0.75 lagging from a 690 V (line-to-line), 60 Hz supply. A three-phase capacitor bank in parallel with the load must raise the overall power factor to 0.95 lagging. The real power stays the same. The capacitors are connected in Y. Find the capacitance Cph of each capacitor in µF.

P = 75 kWpf1 = 0.75pf2 = 0.95VL = 690 Vf = 60 Hz
Cph = µF
3.TransformersMedium
10000 V400 VIHV​ILV​ = ?15 kVA

A single-phase 15 kVA, 10000/400 V transformer operates at its rated load. Treat it as ideal. Find the current ILV in the low-voltage winding.

S = 15 kVAV1 = 10000 VV2 = 400 V
ILV = A
4.TransformersHard
pf 0.9550 kVA, η = 98.5%

A single-phase 50 kVA transformer has a core loss of 150 W. At rated load and a power factor of 0.95 lagging its efficiency is 98.5%. Find the full-load copper loss Pcu,fl in watts.

S = 50 kVAPcore = 150 Wpf = 0.95η = 98.5%
Pcu,fl = W
5.AC power & power factorMedium
P = 23 kWQSφ

A single-phase motor takes 23 kW at a power factor of 0.9 lagging from a 400 V supply. Find the line current I.

P = 23 kWpf = 0.9V = 400 V
I = A
6.AC power & power factorHard
400 V50 Hzload20 kW, 0.7C47 µFI = ?

A single-phase load takes 20 kW at a power factor of 0.7 lagging from a 400 V, 50 Hz supply. A 47 µF capacitor is connected in parallel with the load. Find the new line current I.

P = 20 kWpf1 = 0.7V = 400 Vf = 50 HzC = 47 µF
I = A
7.AC impedance & phasorsMedium
100 V200 HzR = 25 ΩC = 22 µFI

A resistor and a capacitor are connected in parallel across a 100 V (rms), 200 Hz supply. Find the magnitude of the impedance |Z|.

V = 100 V (rms)f = 200 HzR = 25 ΩC = 22 µF
|Z| = Ω
8.AC impedance & phasorsHard
VfR = 5 ΩL = 1 mHC = 0.1 µF

A series RLC circuit has R = 5 Ω, L = 1 mH and C = 0.1 µF. Find its quality factor Q at resonance.

R = 5 ΩL = 1 mHC = 0.1 µF
Q =
9.DC motorsMedium
+−VRa​M+−En = 2000 rpmT = ?

A DC motor delivers 0.5 kW of mechanical power at 2000 rpm. Find the shaft torque T.

P = 0.5 kWn = 2000 rpm
T = N·m
10.DC motorsHard
+−120 VRa​ = 1 ΩIa​: 10 → 4 AM+−En = ?T

A separately excited DC motor on 120 V (Ra = 1 Ω) runs at 1500 rpm with an armature current of 10 A. The load changes and the current becomes 4 A, with the field unchanged. Find the new speed n2.

V = 120 VRa = 1 Ωn1 = 1500 rpmIa1 = 10 AIa2 = 4 A
n2 = rpm

3Solutions

1.Three-phase power

Answer: IL = 173.5 A

Balanced three-phase systems: in a Y (star) connection the line-to-line voltage is √3 times the phase voltage, VL = √3·Vph, and the line current equals the phase current. In a Δ (delta) connection the line-to-line voltage equals the phase voltage and the line current is √3 times the phase current, IL = √3·Iph. The total power is three times the power of one phase: P = 3·Vph·Iph·cos φ = √3·VL·IL·cos φ.

Electrical input power

Pin = Pout/η = 90/0.88 = 102.3 kW

Line current

IL = Pin/(√3·VL·cos φ) = 102273/(√3·415·0.82) = 173.5 A

Answer

IL = 173.5 A
2.Three-phase power

Answer: Cph = 231.2 µF

Balanced three-phase systems: in a Y (star) connection the line-to-line voltage is √3 times the phase voltage, VL = √3·Vph, and the line current equals the phase current. In a Δ (delta) connection the line-to-line voltage equals the phase voltage and the line current is √3 times the phase current, IL = √3·Iph. The total power is three times the power of one phase: P = 3·Vph·Iph·cos φ = √3·VL·IL·cos φ. Power factor correction: capacitors supply reactive power locally, QC = P·(tan φ1 − tan φ2). Each of the three capacitors supplies QC/3 = V²·ω·C, where V is the voltage across that capacitor: VL in a Δ bank, VL/√3 in a Y bank.

Reactive power before and after

The real power is unchanged, so each power factor fixes the reactive power: Q = P·tan φ.

Q1 = 75·tan(acos 0.75) = 75·0.8819 = 66.14 kvar
Q2 = 75·tan(acos 0.95) = 75·0.3287 = 24.65 kvar

Reactive power from the capacitors

QC = Q1 − Q2 = 41.49 kvar

Capacitance per phase

In a Y bank each capacitor is connected between a line and the star point.

V = 690/√3 = 398.4 V, ω = 2π·60 = 377 rad/s
Cph = (QC/3)/(ω·V²) = 13831/(377·398.4²) = 231.2 µF

Answer

Cph = 231.2 µF
3.Transformers

Answer: ILV = 37.5 A

Ideal transformer: the voltages are in the ratio of the turns and the currents in the inverse ratio: V₁/V₂ = N₁/N₂ = a and I₁/I₂ = N₂/N₁ = 1/a, so the power in equals the power out, V₁·I₁ = V₂·I₂. A load impedance Z on the secondary looks like a²·Z from the primary.

Rated current

Both windings carry the same apparent power.

ILV = S/V = 15000/400 = 37.5 A

Answer

ILV = 37.5 A
4.Transformers

Answer: Pcu,fl = 573.4 W

Transformer losses: the core loss (hysteresis and eddy currents) depends on the voltage and is the same at any load. The copper loss in the windings goes with the current squared, so at a fraction x of rated load it is x²·Pcu,fl. Efficiency η = Pout/(Pout + Pcore + Pcu), with Pout = x·S·pf. The efficiency is highest at the load where the copper loss equals the core loss.

Output and input power

Pout = 50·0.95 = 47.5 kW
Pin = 47500/0.985 = 48223 W

Total and copper losses

Ploss = 48223 − 47500 = 723.4 W
Pcu,fl = 723.4 − 150 = 573.4 W

Answer

Pcu,fl = 573.4 W
5.AC power & power factor

Answer: I = 63.89 A

AC power: apparent power S = V·I (VA) splits into real power P = S·cos φ (W), which does useful work, and reactive power Q = S·sin φ (var), which moves back and forth between source and load. The power factor is cos φ. A capacitor in parallel supplies reactive power locally, so the line current drops for the same real power.

Line current

Only the real part of the power does work, so divide by the power factor.

I = P/(V·cos φ) = 23000/(400·0.9) = 63.89 A

Answer

I = 63.89 A
6.AC power & power factor

Answer: I = 67.34 A

AC power: apparent power S = V·I (VA) splits into real power P = S·cos φ (W), which does useful work, and reactive power Q = S·sin φ (var), which moves back and forth between source and load. The power factor is cos φ. A capacitor in parallel supplies reactive power locally, so the line current drops for the same real power.

Reactive power before and after

The real power P does not change; only the reactive power drawn from the supply does.

Q1 = 20·tan(arccos 0.7) = 20.4 kvar
QC = V²·2πf·C = 400²·2π·50·47·10⁻⁶ = 2362 var = 2.362 kvar
Q2 = 20.4 − 2.362 = 18.04 kvar

New apparent power

S2 = √(20² + 18.04²) = 26.94 kVA

New line current

I = S2/V = 26935/400 = 67.34 A

Answer

I = 67.34 A
7.AC impedance & phasors

Answer: |Z| = 20.57 Ω

AC circuits with phasors: resistors, inductors and capacitors have impedances R, jωL and 1/(jωC), with ω = 2πf. In series, impedances add like resistances, but as complex numbers. Rms current and voltage follow Ohm’s law with |Z|.

Reactance

XC = 1/(ωC) = 1/(2π·200·22·10⁻⁶) = 36.17 Ω

Branch currents

Both branches are connected straight across the supply, so each sees the full voltage V.

IR = V/R = 100/25 = 4 A
IX = V/XC = 100/36.17 = 2.765 A

Total current

The resistor current is in phase with V and the reactive current is 90° out of phase, so they add like the sides of a right triangle.

I = √(IR² + IX²) = √(4² + 2.765²) = 4.862 A

Impedance

|Z| = V/I = 100/4.862 = 20.57 Ω

Answer

|Z| = 20.57 Ω
8.AC impedance & phasors

Answer: Q = 20

AC circuits with phasors: resistors, inductors and capacitors have impedances R, jωL and 1/(jωC), with ω = 2πf. In series, impedances add like resistances, but as complex numbers. Rms current and voltage follow Ohm’s law with |Z|.

Resonant frequency

f0 = 1/(2π·√(0.001·0.1·10⁻⁶)) = 15915 Hz

Quality factor

Q compares the reactance at resonance with the resistance: Q = ω₀L/R.

Q = (1/R)·√(L/C) = (1/5)·√(0.001/(0.1·10⁻⁶)) = 20

Answer

Q = 20
9.DC motors

Answer: T = 2.387 N·m

DC motor: the armature is a resistance Ra in series with the back-EMF E, so V = E + Ia·Ra. The back-EMF grows with speed, E = k·ω, and the torque with current, T = k·Ia, with the same motor constant k (V·s/rad = N·m/A) in SI units. Convert speeds with ω = 2π·n/60. The developed power is E·Ia = T·ω; the input power is V·Ia, and the copper loss Ia²Ra and the rotational loss make the difference. The speed falls in a straight line with torque, ω = V/k − Ra·T/k², from the no-load speed V/k to zero at the stall torque k·V/Ra. At standstill E = 0, so the starting current V/Ra is large unless a resistor limits it.

Speed in rad/s

ω = 2π·2000/60 = 209.4 rad/s

Torque

T = P/ω = 500/209.4 = 2.387 N·m

Answer

T = 2.387 N·m
10.DC motors

Answer: n2 = 1582 rpm

DC motor: the armature is a resistance Ra in series with the back-EMF E, so V = E + Ia·Ra. The back-EMF grows with speed, E = k·ω, and the torque with current, T = k·Ia, with the same motor constant k (V·s/rad = N·m/A) in SI units. Convert speeds with ω = 2π·n/60. The developed power is E·Ia = T·ω; the input power is V·Ia, and the copper loss Ia²Ra and the rotational loss make the difference. The speed falls in a straight line with torque, ω = V/k − Ra·T/k², from the no-load speed V/k to zero at the stall torque k·V/Ra. At standstill E = 0, so the starting current V/Ra is large unless a resistor limits it.

Back-EMF before and after

E1 = 120 − 10·1 = 110 V
E2 = 120 − 4·1 = 116 V

New speed

n2 = 1500·116/110 = 1582 rpm

Answer

n2 = 1582 rpm

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