What is the formula for active power in a three-phase AC circuit?
1 Answer
In a three-phase AC circuit, the formula for active power (also known as real power or true power) is given by:
Active Power (P) = √3 * Voltage (V) * Current (I) * Power Factor (PF)
where:
√3 is the square root of 3 (approximately 1.732).
Voltage (V) is the line-to-line voltage in volts (V).
Current (I) is the line current in amperes (A).
Power Factor (PF) is the dimensionless factor representing the phase difference between voltage and current.
The power factor accounts for the phase difference between the voltage and current waveforms and can vary between 0 and 1. When the current and voltage waveforms are in perfect alignment (i.e., they have the same phase), the power factor is 1, and the system is operating at unity power factor. In real-world scenarios, the power factor is often less than 1, indicating some phase difference and reactive power in the system. Reactive power doesn't perform any useful work, but it is necessary for certain types of loads in AC circuits.
Active Power (P) = √3 * Voltage (V) * Current (I) * Power Factor (PF)
where:
√3 is the square root of 3 (approximately 1.732).
Voltage (V) is the line-to-line voltage in volts (V).
Current (I) is the line current in amperes (A).
Power Factor (PF) is the dimensionless factor representing the phase difference between voltage and current.
The power factor accounts for the phase difference between the voltage and current waveforms and can vary between 0 and 1. When the current and voltage waveforms are in perfect alignment (i.e., they have the same phase), the power factor is 1, and the system is operating at unity power factor. In real-world scenarios, the power factor is often less than 1, indicating some phase difference and reactive power in the system. Reactive power doesn't perform any useful work, but it is necessary for certain types of loads in AC circuits.