Relation between power factor and phase angle

In summary, the effective power in this situation is given by V_maxI_max * cos(x) where x is the phase angle. This can be rewritten as I²R or V²/R, and the power wave will look like road bumps, with a frequency half of that of the voltage and current waves. The textbook example involves a V versus I plot, with the angle between the line and the x-axis representing the phase angle.
  • #1
Vriska
138
2

Homework Statement


apparently your effective power is V_maxI_max * cos(x) where x is the phase angle. So I must consider only real power

Homework Equations


power = VI
current = I sin(wt)

The Attempt at a Solution



Let impedence be = e^ix . I'll write current as Ie^i(wt) consideronly the real part, so V = e^(ix) *e^(iwt), sooo power is P = VI e^(ix)*e^(2iwt). Sooooooo...now what? take the real part? I don't know and ignore that 2iwt? I'm not quite comfortable with this notation.

random question :

is a phasors axes supposed to be a V vs I plot, I think there's something wrong with by textbook
 
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  • #2
First consider a totally resistive situation: current and voltage in-phase. If you multiply the instantaneous values of the sine waves, what will the "power wave" look like? What would be the frequency of this wave, compared to the voltage and current waves?

Hint, in situation I described, you could rewrite power, instead of V*I, you could have I²R, or V²/R.
 
  • #3
Vriska said:
random question :

is a phasors axes supposed to be a V vs I plot, I think there's something wrong with by textbook
Can you clarify what you mean? Can you take a picture of the textbook example that you are asking about?
 
  • #4
scottdave said:
First consider a totally resistive situation: current and voltage in-phase. If you multiply the instantaneous values of the sine waves, what will the "power wave" look like? What would be the frequency of this wave, compared to the voltage and current waves?

Hint, in situation I described, you could rewrite power, instead of V*I, you could have I²R, or V²/R.

aright the power wave will look like road bumps. frequency will be half of that of voltage and current waves

p =v^2 /r sin^2(wt). so max power = v^2/r.. how do I go from here?
 
  • #5
scottdave said:
Can you clarify what you mean? Can you take a picture of the textbook example that you are asking about?

they drew a v versus I plot, with Voltage on the y-axis and drew a line on the plot with its y coordinate of its end being v_i - v_c and the x coordinate being v_r. The angle between the line and the x-axis was the phase angle. not quite sure what they're doing here :|
 

Related to Relation between power factor and phase angle

Question 1: What is power factor?

Power factor is a measure of the efficiency of an electrical system to convert electric power into useful work. It is the ratio of the real power (kW) to the apparent power (kVA) in a circuit, and is expressed as a decimal or percentage between 0 and 1.

Question 2: What is phase angle?

Phase angle is the measure of the difference in phase between two alternating quantities, such as voltage and current. It is expressed in degrees or radians and determines the timing of the waveform.

Question 3: How are power factor and phase angle related?

Power factor and phase angle are closely related as they both measure the efficiency of an electrical system. A high power factor indicates a small phase angle between the voltage and current, meaning that the system is operating efficiently. A low power factor indicates a large phase angle, which can result in wasted energy and higher electricity bills.

Question 4: How does power factor affect energy consumption?

A low power factor can lead to higher energy consumption as it can cause the system to draw more current than necessary. This can result in voltage drops, increased losses, and reduced efficiency. Therefore, improving power factor can help reduce energy consumption and save costs.

Question 5: How can power factor be improved?

Power factor can be improved by using power factor correction devices, such as capacitors, to help balance the reactive power in the system. This reduces the phase angle and increases the power factor, resulting in a more efficient use of energy. Proper maintenance and regular testing of equipment can also help improve power factor.

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