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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
Convert the frequency: ω = 2πf.
Find each reactance: XL = ωL and XC = 1/(ωC).
Add impedances like resistors, with Z = R + jX.
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
Draw the armature circuit: supply V, resistance Ra and the back-EMF E in series.
Use V = E + Ia·Ra to link voltage, current and back-EMF.
Use E = k·ω for speed and T = k·Ia for torque, with ω = 2π·n/60.
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
A three-phase induction motor delivers 7.5 kW of mechanical output power at full load. At this load its efficiency is 88% and its power factor is 0.8 lagging. The supply has a line-to-line voltage of 480 V. Find the line current IL.
Pout = 7.5 kWη = 88%cos φ = 0.8VL = 480 V
IL = A
2.Three-phase powerHard
A balanced three-phase load takes 300 kW at a power factor of 0.78 lagging from a 480 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 = 300 kWpf1 = 0.78pf2 = 0.95VL = 480 Vf = 60 Hz
Cph = µF
3.TransformersMedium
A 4 Ω resistor is connected across the secondary winding of an ideal transformer with a turns ratio N₁:N₂ = 4:1. Find the resistance R1′ seen looking into the primary winding.
N1:N2 = 4:1RL = 4 Ω
R1′ = Ω
4.TransformersHard
A single-phase 75 kVA transformer has a core loss of 375 W. At rated load and a power factor of 0.95 lagging its efficiency is 96%. Find the full-load copper loss Pcu,fl in watts.
S = 75 kVAPcore = 375 Wpf = 0.95η = 96%
Pcu,fl = W
5.AC power & power factorMedium
A single-phase motor takes 40 kW at a power factor of 0.75 lagging from a 400 V supply. Find the reactive power Q it draws.
P = 40 kWpf = 0.75V = 400 V
Q = kvar
6.AC power & power factorHard
A 200 kVA single-phase transformer supplies a load of 57 kW at a power factor of 0.6 lagging. How much extra real power ΔP can be added as a resistive (unity power factor) load before the transformer reaches its kVA rating?
Smax = 200 kVAP1 = 57 kWpf1 = 0.6
ΔP = kW
7.AC impedance & phasorsMedium
A series RLC circuit is connected to a 10 V (rms), 60 Hz supply. Find the rms current I.
V = 10 V (rms)f = 60 HzR = 100 ΩL = 20 mHC = 100 µF
I = A
8.AC impedance & phasorsHard
A series RLC circuit is connected to a 24 V (rms), 200 Hz supply. Find the resonant frequency f0 of the circuit.
V = 24 V (rms)f = 200 HzR = 100 ΩL = 50 mHC = 10 µF
f0 = Hz
9.DC motorsMedium
A DC motor (k = 0.4 N·m/A, Ra = 1.2 Ω) runs from 120 V and drives a load torque of 4.8 N·m. Find its speed n in rpm.
V = 120 Vk = 0.4 N·m/ARa = 1.2 ΩT = 4.8 N·m
n = rpm
10.DC motorsHard
A DC motor with k = 0.6 V·s/rad and Ra = 0.4 Ω must drive a load of 6 N·m at 900 rpm. Find the armature voltage V it needs.
k = 0.6 V·s/radRa = 0.4 ΩT = 6 N·mn = 900 rpm
V = V
3Solutions
1.Three-phase power
Answer: IL = 12.81 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 = 7.5/0.88 = 8.523 kW
Line current
IL = Pin/(√3·VL·cos φ) = 8523/(√3·480·0.8) = 12.81 A
Answer
IL = 12.81 A
2.Three-phase power
Answer: Cph = 1636 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 = 300·tan(acos 0.78) = 300·0.8023 = 240.7 kvar
Q2 = 300·tan(acos 0.95) = 300·0.3287 = 98.61 kvar
Reactive power from the capacitors
QC = Q1 − Q2 = 142.1 kvar
Capacitance per phase
In a Y bank each capacitor is connected between a line and the star point.
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.
Referred resistance
The voltage goes up by a and the current down by a, so the ratio V/I goes up by a².
R1′ = a²·RL = 4²·4 = 64 Ω
Answer
R1′ = 64 Ω
4.Transformers
Answer: Pcu,fl = 2594 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 = 75·0.95 = 71.25 kW
Pin = 71250/0.96 = 74219 W
Total and copper losses
Ploss = 74219 − 71250 = 2969 W
Pcu,fl = 2969 − 375 = 2594 W
Answer
Pcu,fl = 2594 W
5.AC power & power factor
Answer: Q = 35.28 kvar
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.
Angle
φ = arccos(0.75) = 41.41°, tan φ = 0.8819
Reactive power
Q = P·tan φ = 40·0.8819 = 35.28 kvar
Answer
Q = 35.28 kvar
6.AC power & power factor
Answer: ΔP = 128 kW
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 of the existing load
Q1 = 57·tan(arccos 0.6) = 76 kvar
Largest total real power
At full rating S = Smax, and Q is unchanged by the resistive load.
P = √(Smax² − Q1²) = √(200² − 76²) = 185 kW
Extra real power
ΔP = 185 − 57 = 128 kW
Answer
ΔP = 128 kW
7.AC impedance & phasors
Answer: I = 0.09824 A
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|.
Reactances
ω = 2πf = 2π·60 = 377 rad/s
XL = ωL = 377·0.02 = 7.54 Ω
XC = 1/(ωC) = 1/(377·100·10⁻⁶) = 26.53 Ω
Impedance
In series the impedances add as complex numbers: Z = R + j(XL − XC).
The same current flows through every element of a series circuit.
I = V/|Z| = 10/101.8 = 0.09824 A
Answer
I = 0.09824 A
8.AC impedance & phasors
Answer: f0 = 225.1 Hz
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|.
Resonance
At resonance the inductive and capacitive reactances cancel: ωL = 1/(ωC). The supply frequency does not matter.
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.
Armature current
Ia = T/k = 4.8/0.4 = 12 A
Back-EMF and speed
E = 120 − 12·1.2 = 105.6 V
ω = E/k = 264 rad/s → n = 2521 rpm
Answer
n = 2521 rpm
10.DC motors
Answer: V = 60.55 V
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.