Electric Circuits Theory 2

Lesson 4
Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits
Prepared by:
Engr. Michael M. Salvahan, ECE, ECT

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

Power Triangle and Power Factor
Apparent Power the product of the current and voltage of
the circuit.
Real Power the capacity of the circuit for performing work
in a particular time.
Reactive Power power that continuously bounce back
and forth between source and load.
Power Factor defined as the ratio of the real power
flowing to the load, to the apparent power in the circuit and
is a dimensionless number in the closed interval of -1 to 1.

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

Power Triangle and Power Factor
Power
Apparent Power (S)
True or Active Power (P)
Reactive Power (Q)

Formula

Unit
Voltamperes (VA)
Watts (W)
Reactive Voltamperes (VAR)

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

Power Triangle and Power Factor
Sample Problems:
1. A pure inductance is connected to a 150 V, 50 Hz supply,
and the apparent power of the circuit is 300 VA. Find the
value of the inductance.
Answer: L = 0.239 H
2. A transformer has a rated output of 200 kVA at a power
factor of 0.8. Determine the rated power output and the
corresponding reactive power.
Answer: P = 160 kW, Q = 120 kVAR

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

Power Triangle and Power Factor
Sample Problems:
3. The power taken by an inductive circuit when connected to a 120 V, 50
Hz supply is 400 W and the current is 8 A. Calculate (a) the resistance,
(b) the impedance, (c) the reactance, (d) the power factor, and (e) the
phase angle between voltage and current.
Ans: R = 6.25 , Z = 15 , XL = 13.64 , P.F. = 0.4167, = 6522 lagging
4. A circuit consisting of a resistor in series with a capacitor takes 100
watts at a power factor of 0.5 from a 100 V, 60 Hz supply. Find (a) the
current flowing, (b) the phase angle, (c) the resistance, (d) the
impedance, and (e) the capacitance.
Ans: I = 2 A, = 60 leading, R = 25 , Z = 50 , X C = 61. 26 F

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

Parallel AC Circuits
In parallel circuits, the voltage is common to each branch of
the network and is thus taken as the reference phasor when
drawing phasor diagrams.
1.
2.
3.
4.

RL Parallel Circuit
RC Parallel Circuit
LC Parallel Circuit
RL-C Parallel Circuit

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

RL Parallel AC Circuit
Sample Problem:
1. A 20 resistor is connected in parallel with an
inductance of 2.387 mH across a 60 V, 1 kHz supply.
Calculate (a) the current in each branch, (b) the supply
current, (c) the circuit phase angle, (d) the circuit
impedance, and (e) the power consumed.
Answer:
IR = 3 A, IL = 4 A, I = 5 A,
= 538 lagging, Z = 12 , P = 180 W

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

RC Parallel AC Circuit
Sample Problem:
2. A 30 F capacitor is connected in parallel with an 80
resistor across a 240 V, 50 Hz supply. Calculate (a) the
current in each branch, (b) the supply current, (c) the
circuit phase angle, (d) the circuit impedance, (e) the
power dissipated, and (f) the apparent power.
Answer:
IR = 3 A, IC = 2.262 A, I = 3.757 A,
= 371 leading, Z = 63.88 , P = 720 W, S = 901.7 VA

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

RC Parallel AC Circuit
Sample Problem:
3. A capacitor C is connected in parallel with a resistor R
across a 120 V, 200 Hz supply. The supply current is 2 A
at a power factor of 0.6 leading. Determine the values of
C and R.

Answer:
R = 100 , C = 10.61 F

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

LC Parallel AC Circuit
Sample Problem:
4. A pure inductance of 120 mH is connected in parallel
with a 25 F capacitor and the network is connected to a
100 V, 50 Hz supply. Determine (a) the branch currents,
(b) the supply current and its phase angle, (c) the circuit
impedance, and (d) the power consumed.

Answer:
IL = 2.653 A, IC = 0.786 A, I = 1.867 A, Z = 53.56 , P = 0 W

Lesson 4: Power Factor and Parallel AC Circuits

RL-C Parallel AC Circuit
Sample Problem:
5. A coil of inductance 159.2 mH and resistance 40 is connected in
parallel with a 30 F capacitor across a 240 V, 50 Hz supply. Calculate
(a) the current in the coil and its phase angle, (b) the current in the
capacitor and its phase angle, (c) the supply current and its phase
angle,(d) the circuit impedance, (e) the power consumed, (f) the
apparent power, and (g) the reactive power.

Answer:
ILR = 3.748 A, LR = 5120 lagging,
IC = 2.262 A, C = 90 leading,
I = 2.434 A, = 1550 lagging
Z = 98.60 , P = 562 W, S = 584.2 VA, Q = 159.4 VAR

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