Summary of Complex Power

Power can be computed directly in the phasor domain

(also referred to as the frequency domain), via the
complex power
Complex power:
Where the magnitude of V and I are assumed to be peak-values
Average and Reactive powers:
Average power:
The average power is the time-average power dissipated by a load. This
is average power used by the load.
pf = the power factor = cos(u)
Reactive power:
Units are Vars (volt-ampere reactive)
The reactive power is the net energy stored per unit cycle by a load
Apparent Power:
Apparent power is the magnitude of the complex power.
It has the units of Volt-Amps (VA)
EE221S.Gedney,UniversityofKentucky
*
1 1 1
2 2 2

| || | | || |
V I
V I V I V I u u u = = Z = Z S
( ) ( )
Re( ) cos W P S S pf u = = = S
cos( ) sin( ) S S jS P jQ u u u = Z = + = + S
( ) ( )
Im( ) sin Vars Q S u = = S
( )
2 2

V-A S V I P Q = = = + S
RMS Values
For AC power problems, voltages and currents are
typically expressed in RMS (root-mean-square) values.
For a sinusoidal signal, the RMS value is:
where Vp is the peak value of the signal
Complex power is assessed from RMS values as:
EE221S.Gedney,UniversityofKentucky
( )
2
0
1
V-rms
t
v t dt
T
=
}
2
p
rms
V
V =
*
rms rms

V I = S
Power factor
The power factor is the fraction of the apparent power that is
average power (or dissipated power).
Note that is also the load angle, since
The load angle is also referred to as the power factor angle (pfa)
If we know the power factor and the apparent power S, or the
average power P, then we can also predict Q to within a sign.
To determine the load, the power factor is specified as being
either a leading or a lagging power factor
Leading power factor: The current leads the voltage
Thus, the reactive power is negative (capacitive load)
Lagging power factor: The current lags the voltage
Thus, the reactive power is positive (inductive load)
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( ) ( )
cos cos
V I
P
pf
S
u u u = = =
u

/ /
V I
V I V I u u = Z
2 2
1 1
P
Q S pf pf
pf
= =
( )
I V
u u >
( )
I V
u u <
Conservation of Power
Power is conserved in any circuit: P
i i
= u
Energy is conserved in any circuit:
i
i
= u
Complex power is also conserved S
i i
= u
The net complex power of loads can thus be added:
When the power of parallel loads add, it is equivalent to their
admittances adding (since they share the same voltage)
When the power of series loads add, it is equivalent to their
impedances adding (since they share the same current)
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( )
2 2
* * 2
1 2 1 2
1 2

| | | |

| |
t
V V
VI VI V Y Y
Z Z
= + = + = + S
( )
* * 2 2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2

| | | | | |
t
V I V I I Z I Z I Z Z = + = + = + S
Example
For the circuit to the right, find:
The total average power
The total power factor
The line current
Solution:
The first load is rated at 2 kVA. The units kVA tell us that
this is the apparent power (at 1200 V). The lagging power
factor of 0.6, tells us that the load angle is 0 = +cos
-1
(u.8) =
SS.1S. Thus, S
1
= 2uuuSS.1S vA.
The second load is rated at 4 kW. The units kW tell us
that this is the average power (at 1200 V) used by the load.
The leading power factor of 0.8 tells us that the load angle is
0 = -cos
-1
u.8 = -S6.87. The complex power is thus
S
2
= 4uuu - S6.87 u.8 = Suuu - S6.87 VA
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Example, continued
The total power of both loads is S = S
1
+ S
2
= S,uuu - S6.87 +
2uuu53.13 = S,S8S - 1S.u7 vA
Therefore,
The total apparent power of the load is 5.385 kVA
The power factor of the combined load is cos(15.07) = 0.966.
Since the pfa is negative, the pf is =0.966 leading.
The power dissipated by the loads is P = S.S8S kVA u.966 =
S.2u2 kW
The line current can be found since the load voltage and the
load power are known.
Note that since the line voltage is in Volts, we use V-I conj.
EE221S.Gedney,UniversityofKentucky
*
*
*
1 5,385 15.07

2 2 8.98 15.07 A

2 1200 0 V
VI I
V
Z+
= = = = Z+
Z
S
S
Power Factor Correction
Loads with a small power factor can draw larger
currents than necessary.
Large line currents lead to larger voltage drops along the
line, and increased heating
The power factor can be corrected to a unit pf by
adding a complimentary reactive load.
Residential and industrial loads typically have a lagging power
factor, thus are corrected with a capacitor placed in parallel
The power factor corrector (PFC) cancels the
reactive power of the load
Note the load itself still has the same pf. The PFC shares
stored energy with the load, such that the source only has to
provide the average power in the steady-state.
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1

| |
P
I
pf V
=
Example of a PFC
Find the reactance of the pfc that leads to a unit
power factor. Find the capacitance of the pfc. Also,
find the line current with and without the pfc.
Solution:
To correct to a pf = 1.0, the pfc must have the complex
power:
EE221S.Gedney,UniversityofKentucky
1
*
*
10kW
cos (0.8) 12.5 36.87 kVA=10 kW + 7.5kVars
0.8
12,500 36.87

3.125A

4,000
rms
j
I
V

= Z+ = Z
Z
= = =
S
S
7.5kVars
pfc
jQ j = = S
PFC Example, continued
Since the complex power of the pfc has a -90 degree load
angle, it must be a capacitor. The capacitance can be found
since we know Q, the voltage, and .
Finally, with the PFC, the net power of the load + PFC
The resulting line current is:
EE221S.Gedney,UniversityofKentucky
2
2
6
2 2

| |

| |
7,500
1.24 10 F 1.24 F

120 (4,000) | |
pfc
C
V
jQ j C V
Z
jQ
C
j V
e

t e

= = =

= = = =

S
10 kW+0 Vars
net pfc load
j = + = S S S
*
*
10,000

2.5A

4,000
rms
I
V
= = =
S